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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. Which of the following adjectives best describes the conversations the Youngblood family has around the dinner table each night?

2. Which of the following is not a form of torture discussed by the narrator in this novel?

3. What animal is Uncle most afraid of in the wild?

4. How do the Youngbloods react when they see Kopyrda in their daughter's bedroom?

5. What motivation does Uncle think Kneadus has in befriending the valet?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the narrator of the novel believe is the worst form of torture in the world?

2. How does the narrator explain his beliefs that all art is an imitation?

3. What happens when Joey and Kneadus reach the edge of the city in their search for the farmhand?

4. How does the colonel respond to the tennis game he is watching in the 18th century?

5. How does Joey feel about the decorations in Mrs. Youngblood's bedroom?

6. How does the crowd at the tennis match respond to all the craziness going on around the field?

7. Why does Joey end up in a field at the end of the novel?

8. What happens when Pimko also arrives outside Zuta's window while Kopyrda is still inside?

9. How does Zuta respond when she realizes Joey is spying on her?

10. How does Mrs. Youngblood react when she sees Zuta walking down the street with a boy she doesn't know?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Joey comes into contact with various members of his family as the novel progresses. First, explain why Joey's family is so broken and scattered. How has this element of his life affected Joey's level of maturity? Then, choose at least one scene in which one of Joey's family members pops up unexpectedly. How does Joey react to this surprise? How does the reintroduction of family affect the way Joey interacts with the outside world?

Essay Topic 2

When Joey arrives at the school, his schoolmates quickly divide up into two gangs, the lads and the guys. First, explain how the division among the boys came about in the schoolyard. Who is declared the leader of each of the gangs? What characteristics define the boys who are lads and boys who are guys? In what way does the schoolyard division reflect the social divide that is taking place in the town Joey lives in? Be sure to cite examples from the text to strengthen your argument.

Essay Topic 3

Art, and writing in particular, is an theme central in the novel. What argument is the novel trying to make about structure. According to this book, what makes a good novel? What relationship should the author of the book have with its audience? How does the narrator of this novel feel about traditional form narration and how do you see that opinion reflected in the text? Choose at least two examples of scenes from the text that you believe best exemplify and strengthen your argument and describe those scenes in this essay.

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