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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How does Styron's body feel in the beginning of his depression?
(a) Heavy, lethargic, awkward, and bloated.
(b) Numb, frail, disjointed, and clumsy.
(c) Manic, hyper, shaky, and strange.
(d) Energetic, strong, capable, and lively.

2. How does Camus's essay about a prisoner on death row impact Styron's writing?
(a) It leads to his using a narrator on death row to tell the story in "Confessions of Nat Turner."
(b) It causes him to stop writing for a while.
(c) It gives him some ideas about stories he wants to write.
(d) It causes him to want to write much better than he felt Camus did.

3. What does the suicide of another of Styron's friends lead him to believe?
(a) That his friends must be weak.
(b) That he would soon have to face the fact that his own suicide is his only way out.
(c) That he isn't a very good friend to others since he can't help them.
(d) That life isn't worth living.

4. What does Styron say would cause many depression-related suicides?
(a) Lack of moral strength by the depressed person.
(b) Lack of medicines to treat depression.
(c) Lack of psychiatric treatment protocols.
(d) Lack of awareness by others about the intensity of the pain.

5. According to Styron, how many women have won the Prix Mondial Cino del Duca award?
(a) None.
(b) Only five.
(c) Twenty-five.
(d) More women than men.

6. What does Styron want us to understand about those who commit suicide?
(a) That they were always good writers.
(b) That they had no other way to escape.
(c) That secrecy and shame are not the right reaction.
(d) That they were weak and couldn't handle pain.

7. What bothers Styron about his meeting with Gary's estranged wife?
(a) Their son was caught between their differences.
(b) Gary's wife wasn't very involved with her son.
(c) That Gary was letting his estranged wife live with him.
(d) That he didn't understand her deep depression and what it meant.

8. Where does Styron spend his summers?
(a) In Florida.
(b) At Martha's Vineyard.
(c) On his farm in Connecticut.
(d) In Paris.

9. According to Styron, what do people closest to those who commit suicide often do?
(a) Deny that the death was suicide.
(b) Begin suffering from depression and are in danger of suicide also.
(c) Grieve longer than for death from other reasons.
(d) Denounce their loved one.

10. What does Styron say about assigning reasons for suicide to those who take that route?
(a) That people who commit suicide don't love their families.
(b) That only weak people commit suicide.
(c) That people who commit suicide are justified in doing it.
(d) Most of the time the cause is not one incident, but overwhelming depression.

11. What does Styron believe about a depressed colleague's decision to ride with a reckless driver?
(a) That it was a form of suicide.
(b) That he probably didn't know the driver was so reckless.
(c) That his friend didn't have any choice about who to ride with.
(d) That his friend didn't want to embarrass his friend by refusing a ride.

12. What does Styron lose at the luncheon in Paris?
(a) Control of his anger.
(b) His best friend.
(c) His mind.
(d) His check for $25,000.

13. What starts Styron's downward spiral into depression?
(a) The loss of several friends to suicide.
(b) He begins to suffer nausea when drinking alcohol, which he had depended upon.
(c) Being isolated in Connecticut in the winter.
(d) Trouble with his wife.

14. What does Styron think of these two people, who were close literary friends?
(a) He thinks they should move to America where they would be more recognized.
(b) He thinks they should have won the award.
(c) He doesn't think their writing was very good.
(d) He thinks they both had depression.

15. What is unusual about Styron's visit to Paris?
(a) He doesn't eat anything while he was there.
(b) The bathrooms have bidets in them.
(c) He refuses to go to a luncheon in his honor.
(d) He doesn't visit anything but the museum.

Short Answer Questions

1. What happens to Styron during his museum visit in Paris?

2. What does Styron say is the most universal symptom of depression?

3. What pressing question does Styron have about the course of depression?

4. What does Styron say depression is like?

5. Why does Styron say that physical symptoms accompany depression?

(see the answer keys)

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