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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 is Emma?

2. How much property does Weston own?

3. What is in the paper bag Wesley's father is carrying?

4. What class does the family not belong to, according to Emma?

5. What color are Ella's gloves?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Emma looking for a chicken?

2. Why does Weston say he goes off "for a little while"?

3. Why does Weston ask Wesley what he thinks of the house in Act Two?

4. What does Wesley say Taylor is after in Act Two?

5. What news does Ella have about the house when she returns from meeting with Taylor in Act Two?

6. What does Wesley do when he comes in after taking the lamb outside?

7. Why does Wesley think it is okay that Emma wants to leave home?

8. What does Wesley tell Ella as she is cooking in Act One?

9. Why is Emma looking for her jodhpurs?

10. How does Ella describe what it feels like when she learns Weston sells the house already?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the meaning of the title, "Curse of the Starving Class". How is the title relevant to the story's plot? What predictions can the reader make previous to reading the play based on the title? What deeper meaning does the title assume? Use specific examples from the play in the response.

Essay Topic 2

Sam Shepard published "Curse of the Starving Class" in the late 1970s. Explore how the play sustains its relevance in today's society. What universal problems does the Tate family encounter that today's families also cope with? What other instances retain their relevance in today's society? Use specific examples from the text in the response.

Essay Topic 3

The lamb Wesley and Weston bring into the house to rid of maggots also plays a significant role in the play. What does the lamb represent? Does the lamb take on different meanings for different characters? Why is the lamb important to the story? Use specific examples from the play in the response.

(see the answer keys)

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