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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 is it about Helen Bentley that the children do not believe?

2. What does Tom say would not belong in a Happiness Machine?

3. How does Douglas feel about the trolley being retired?

4. What does Douglas suggest they should build?

5. What does Helen Bentley purchase for a group of children?

Short Essay Questions

1. What brings Douglas comfort after so many things that he loves have all changed and ended at once?

2. What does the beating of the rugs symbolize to Douglas and Tom both?

3. What is the overall tone of the opening of this novel and why do you believe that is the case?

4. What revelation does Leo come to after the Happiness Machine burns?

5. What new revelation does Douglas come to by dividing up his summer?

6. Based on Tom's habit of keeping statistics, what idea does Douglas implement himself?

7. Describe how Douglas feels as he completes the task for his grandfather and describe what the tasks are.

8. Why does Lena become reduced to tears after she uses the Happiness Machine that Leo built?

9. Why does Douglas believe that he must get new sneakers to keep his new found sense of aliveness?

10. What ritual does Douglas take comfort in that relates to the adults in his life?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How are the themes of man and nature developed throughout the novel. Use specific examples from the text to support your statements. Do you believe the author does a good job at developing these themes? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

What does the end of the summer mark for Douglas? Do you believe that this change was for the positive or negative? Why do you feel that way?

Essay Topic 3

What powerful recognition does Douglas come to at the end of the novel? How is this recognition important? What does it represent in his life?

(see the answer keys)

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