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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. The author says in Chapter 3, "Dad was passionate about many writers, but he had a particular reverence for" whom?

2. Where did the author's mother study acting?

3. Who is the "cultured, dissipated, and penniless European art collector" that the heroine marries in The Portrait of a Lady?

4. From what children's book does the author's father's read to her in the bedtime panel in Chapter 1?

5. What is the name of the author's youngest brother?

Short Essay Questions

1. What symbolism does the author illuminate in her father's library in Chapter 3?

2. How and why does the author allude to It's a Wonderful Life in Chapter 1?

3. How does the author describe her impressions of her father's death in Chapter 2?

4. How does the author describe her father's love of gardening in Chapter 4?

5. How does the author describe her parents' first meeting in Chapter 3?

6. How would you describe the language style of Fun Home?

7. From what narrative perspective is Fun Home related? Why do you think the author chose this perspective?

8. How does the author describe Joan in Chapter 3?

9. How does the author describe her father's profession and obsessions in Chapter 1?

10. What symbolism is related to the Swiss Army knife that appears in Chapter 3?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss the dream imagery that Bechdel presents in Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic. How would you describe the images of these dream sequences? What similes, metaphors, and other literary devices are employed in the dream imagery?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and discuss the community where the author grew up. How large was Bechdel's hometown? Where geographically is it located? What is the topography like in the region? How would you describe the community atmosphere?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the secrets of Bruce Bechdel that are revealed in the course of the narrative. How did these secrets impact the Bechdel family? How did they impact his marriage? How does the author feel about the secrets she discovered about her father?

(see the answer keys)

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