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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Styron say about alcohol's mood-altering characteristics?
(a) It lightened his mood for a good amount of time.
(b) It had no effect on his mood.
(c) It is a depressant, but didn't depress him.
(d) It is an upper, but depressed him.

2. What is Styron not able to recover?
(a) His friendships.
(b) His lucidity.
(c) His family.
(d) His fame.

3. Which group of people have more incidence of depression than all others?
(a) Rich people.
(b) Children.
(c) Poor people.
(d) Women suffer more than any other group of people.

4. How long does Stryon say it will be before he returns to Paris?
(a) A month.
(b) Forever.
(c) A couple of years.
(d) A year.

5. How does Camus's essay influence Stryon's philosophy of life?
(a) It makes him realize life is too short.
(b) It makes him realize depression was a personal thing.
(c) It makes him realize mankind's responsibility for the larger world.
(d) It makes him realize depression could be overcome if the person just cheered himself up.

Short Answer Questions

1. Styron calls depression:

2. Why doesn't Styron recognize Camus's depression?

3. According to Styron, what is between Gaelic and Americana?

4. How does Camus's essay about a prisoner on death row impact Styron's writing?

5. What three factors does Styron name as contributing to depression?

Short Essay Questions

1. What indications of Gary's depression did Styron mention?

2. What role does Styron say friends and family play for the person with depression?

3. What did Styron say caused the incipient insomnia that depressed people often experienced?

4. What did the suicide of several of Styron's friends lead him to do, and what was the result of this action?

5. What did Styron say about the impression his intense thoughts of suicide would have on others?

6. What happened to Styron's body as he succumbed to depression?

7. What is known about the causes of depression, according to Styron?

8. What happened to Romain Gary, Styron's friend, as a result of his depression?

9. Who did Styron say the depressed person was dangerous to, and why?

10. What was Styron doing that was harming him, making his depression worse, though he thought it was helping?

(see the answer keys)

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