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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. Why does Eddie try to return to a burning tent?

2. In death, what step is Ruby Pier for the Blue Man?

3. How long has Eddie been at the Pier after he died?

4. How does Eddie feel when he wakes up?

5. What does Eddie do, just because he can, in Chapter Three?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Eddie realizes the danger is not over at the Freddy Free Fall?

2. What does Eddie learn about his leg injury in Chapter Six, and who shares with Eddie this revelation?

3. Discuss the significance of the title of Chapter Three, "The Arrival".

4. What are the first images the reader gets of Ruby Pier?

5. In Chapter Six, what do the readers learn of Eddie's expectations of himself and from his life? Are these expectations met?

6. The readers learn that today is Eddie's birthday. What is his mood as the little girl approaches him in Chapter One?

7. The Pier serves as a home for the Blue Man, and as a place with many memories for Eddie, some fond, some unpleasant. Discuss the significance of the encounters at the Pier in Chapter Four as a place to confront damaged emotions.

8. What does the reader learn about "Eddie Maintenance" in Chapter One?

9. What happens at Freddy Free Fall to cause Eddie to reevaluate the safety of this ride?

10. Discuss the significance of the title of Chapter Two, "The Journey."

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Albom introduces the reader to a little girl in Chapter One named Amy or Annie. Why is her name unspecified? Aside from the fact that Eddie tries to save her, what is her role in Eddie's life? What is Eddie's role in her life? How will the story continue to spin, even after the end of the novel, as outlined by the author?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay about the concept of Heaven. What is your idea of Heaven? What was Eddie's expectation, before meeting the Blue Man? How does Eddie's actual journey through Heaven compare to your own thoughts of such a place?

Essay Topic 3

Albom changes the setting many times throughout the novel, but Ruby Pier remains as the main focus. Discuss how the Ruby Pier of Eddie's childhood, the Ruby Pier of the past, and the Ruby Pier of the present serve as effective settings for the novel.

(see the answer keys)

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