View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What gift did the author's mother give to Joan immediately after Bruce's funeral?

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

3. The author writes in Chapter 1 that "In the circus, acrobatics where one person lies on the floor balancing another are called" what?

4. The author describes her childhood home as being built in a brief moment of wealth from the lumber industry in what year?

5. How did F. Scott Fitzgerald die?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the title of Chapter 3, "That Old Catastrophe" allude to? Why is this significant?

2. How does the author describe her "coming out" to her parents in Chapter 3?

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 profession and obsessions in Chapter 1?

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

6. What symbolism does the author relate to the obelisk in Chapter 2?

7. How does the author describe her family's trip to Europe in Chapter 3?

8. What literary allusions does the author make in describing her mother in Chapter 3?

9. What mythological allusions does the author make in Chapter 1?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the theme of family in Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic. How would you describe the author's relationships within her family? Was/is the Bechdel family affectionate? How did Alison Bechdel's family influence her?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the theme of homosexuality in Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic. How does the author develop this theme through setting, characterization, action, symbolism, and imagery? How does the author describe coming to terms with her homosexuality? How does she relate to her father's homosexuality?

Essay Topic 3

What major facts does the author establish in the beginning of the narrative? How does she establish the setting and relationships within her family? How are these important plot points revealed to the reader?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 870 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample