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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. What does Gina destroy shortly before the birth of her daughter?

2. What type of jewelry does Striker notice Rudy wearing at the their initial meeting?

3. What gift does Striker find himself receiving most holidays while working at Aloha Lanes?

4. What does Michael want to do for Gina in the early part of their relationship?

5. How does the author suggest meeting in a bowling alley is a good metaphor for Micheal's relationship with Gina?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the author draw parallels between Striker and Irma concerning their painful pasts?

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

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

4. Why is Michael forced to quit college after marrying Gina?

5. What picture does Striker have of his wife and how does this connect him with Wanda Schultz?

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

7. How does Wanda's knowledge of her parents' relationship compare with what Striker has revealed to the reader in part two of the novel?

8. What does Striker see in the street in chapter 22? How does this make Striker feel?

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

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

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

Who is Irma Kosminsky? How does she become acquainted with Michael? Why does Michael initially refuse to take her Hawaiian shirt? What happens to cause Michael to take the shirts after all? What is the nature of the relationship between Michael and Irma? Why does this relationship change the way in which Michael has recently been living his life? Is this a good change? Where does the reader suspect this relationship is headed? How does the author foreshadow the end of this relationship?

Essay Topic 3

What is the star? How has it changed Margaret's life? When does it begin to grow? Who does Margaret begin to see as the star begins to grow? How does Wanda react to news of Margaret's illness? How does Margaret feel about Wanda's reaction? How long does Margaret live after the star begins to grow? What happens to her house and her roommates after her death?

(see the answer keys)

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