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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. Who narrates the film called The Tennis and the Feral Prodigy?

2. Where does Hal go to secretly smoke marijuana?

3. What was the occupation of Enfield's founder?

4. How old is Hal Incandenza at the beginning of the novel?

5. Which character is a serial womanizer?

Short Essay Questions

1. What kind of relationship did James seem to have with his sons?

2. Do the students at Enfield face any consequences for their drug use?

3. What are the results of watching the Entertainment?

4. What significant event happens in Chapter 5, Year of the Depend Adult Undergarment?

5. What role does Lyle play?

6. Describe Hal Incandenza.

7. What kind of relationship do Hal, Orin and Mario have with Avril?

8. In Chapters 21 - 25, what kind of relationship do Orin and Hal have?

9. What advice do the older tennis students have for the younger students and what purpose does it serve?

10. Which of the Incandenza brothers is the most stable?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Which character develops the most throughout Infinite Jest? How do you know?

Essay Topic 2

Why do Don and Joelle connect? What elements of their histories and current treatment parallel each other? Why is Don so interested in Joelle?

Essay Topic 3

How does Wallace create a dramatic opening sequence in the beginning of Infinite Jest? What is the purpose of opening so dramatically?

(see the answer keys)

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