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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 thoughts does Sissie have about her father?

2. Where is Sissie sitting when she plays a game in her first summer at the tavern?

3. Which character would be best described as vulnerable?

4. What season is it in when Sissie is on the island?

5. Why does Sissie first taste beer?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what way does Sissie compare herself to her mother? How does she think they are different?

2. Describe the family dynamic in Sissie's household.

3. Describe one piece of foreshadowing that occurs in Sissie's second summer of narration.

4. How does Sissie compare herself to other girls her own age in Part 3?

5. Is Sissie comfortable being around her father in Part 2? Why or why not?

6. In what way does the diction change between the first summer and second summer?

7. Why does Sissie feel that she is a burden in Part 3? How does this make her feel?

8. Is Sissie powerless the first summer? Why or why not?

9. What has changed in Sissie's life between the first two summers narrated?

10. Why do Sissie's parents argue in Part 3? How does it make Sissie feel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the narration style of the text. What is the narrator's voice? How does it develop over time? What importance does the narration have on the plot or character development? Essentially, how does the narration change the reading experience?

Essay Topic 2

Who or what is the protagonist in "Four Summers"? Why? Who or what is the antagonist in "Four Summers" and how does the reader know this? What role do both the protagonist and antagonist play in the story?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze Sissie's development as a character. Describe her starting position in comparison to her ending position. How does she change physically? How do her emotions and beliefs change? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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