View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What point of view does the author use in chapter 18?

2. What illness does Rudy claim to have in chapter 20?

3. Who does Michael take Gina to meet early in their relationship?

4. Who is Rudy Hahn?

5. What type of social program does Striker begin at Aloha Lanes in chapter 21?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is M.J. Striker and why has he come to work at the Aloha Lanes bowling alley in chapter 20?

2. What happens soon after the dinner Striker shares with Irma and her husband, Sammy?

3. What is Yeats and what does it stand for in Striker's life?

4. How do the Hawaiian shirts becomes something of a symbol between Striker and Irma in chapter 21?

5. How does Striker celebrate Easter in chapter 22?

6. What symbolic item is mentioned in chapter 18 that is related to a similar item symbolically important to Wanda Schultz?

7. What car accident does Striker witness in chapter 22? How is this ironic?

8. How does Striker feel about religion, as the reader learns in chapter 21?

9. In the beginning of Part Two, how does the narration change?

10. Why does Gina become pregnant soon after marrying Michael even though she has told him she does not wish to have children?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Who is Wanda Schultz? Why is she so depressed? What happened to Wanda's ex-lover? What happened to Wanda's parents? Why was Wanda adopted? What does Wanda do for a career? What does Margaret call Wanda? Why? Why does Wanda keep searching for her ex-lover? What happens when Troy tries to help her? Who did Wanda really see when she thought she saw Peter? How is Wanda injured? Why does she refuse to speak?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following in detail, using quotes from the novel to support your conclusions:

1) Themes that appear in the plot, including friendship, grief, mortality, and family.

2) Character relationships, including an analysis of how they impact character motivation, how they change with time, and how characters change with changing relationships.

3) The use of the authorial voice in the narration of the novel, as well as the chosen point of view of the novel.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following style elements in an essay, using quotes or other examples from the novel to support your conclusions:

1) Metaphor

2) Point of View

3) Setting

4) Character

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 892 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample