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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who brought Jack home after he suffered from a physical ailment, according to Eugene in Act II?

2. How many “terrific lies” does Eugene tell Stanley he came up with for him to explain the missing money in Act II?

3. Where does Eugene say his father passed out when he suffered a physical ailment in Act II?

4. Eugene says of his mother in Act II, “If I told her I just lost both my hands in an accident she’d say” what?

5. How old does Blanche say her husband was when he died in Act II?

Short Essay Questions

1. What news does Jack Jerome receive via a letter in the mail in Act II?

2. Who has sent the letter with Laurie in Act II? What news does the letter relate?

3. Where was Brighton Beach Memoirs first produced? When did it premiere on Broadway?

4. What have been perceived as the weaknesses of the narrator in Brighton Beach Memoirs?

5. How would you describe the character of Jack Jerome in Brighton Beach Memoirs?

6. What criticisms did Neil Simon receive for the original production of Brighton Beach Memoirs?

7. What causes the internal conflicts faced by Blanche Morton in the play?

8. Why does Stanley decide to leave home in Act II? What does he ask Eugene for before he goes?

9. What other plays are connected in the trilogy that includes Brighton Beach Memoirs?

10. What do Jack and Stanley discuss after Stanley’s return home in Act II?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze and discuss the character of Jack Jerome. How old is Jack? Where does he work? How is his demeanor described when he first appears in Act I? How does Jack change through the story?

Essay Topic 2

Plot Structure

a. Discuss the plot structure of Brighton Beach Memoirs. In what ways is the narrative related and what effect does this have on the reader or audience member?

b. How does Brighton Beach Memoirs compare with other Broadway plays written during this time period? Are there specific stylistic elements that can be seen in Neil Simon’s writing?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of coming of age in Brighton Beach Memoirs. Where is Eugene in the process of growing up in Act I? How do you foresee his character evolving in the play? How has Eugene become an adult in some ways by the end of the story?

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