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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. Where does Francis say his mother probably is?

2. How does Francis characterize Clara?

3. What does Francis borrow of Jack’s?

4. Where did Francis go after the first time he killed a man?

5. What does Helen say will happen to Francis if he leaves her on the street?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where did Francis Phelan’s family lie in the pecking order of the cemetery?

2. How did Francis end up killing Harold Allen?

3. What kinship does Francis have with the Phelan brothers?

4. What is the message of the song Helen sings to Francis?

5. What is Reverend Chester’s policy about drunks, and what effect does it have?

6. What misfortune besets Helen after she returns to the Mission with Francis and Rudy?

7. What effect is created by the author’s sophisticated vocabulary?

8. Describe Francis’ relationship with his mother.

9. Describe the presence of the dead in Francis’ present day experience, after shoveling dirt at the cemetery.

10. What does Francis’ conversation with Rudy tell us about his relationship with Helen?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In what ways is Ironweed relevant to contemporary readers? What contemporary issues are in play in the book, and how would the book contribute to contemporary discussion? Cite specific discussions from contemporary sources, and cite specific instances from the book that describe its contemporary relevance.

Essay Topic 2

Would you recommend Ironweed? For what purposes would you recommend Ironweed, and what kinds of readers would you recommend it for? What other book would you recommend that would cover the same material or tell the same story in a different way?

Essay Topic 3

Ironweed takes place over three days: Halloween, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day. What is the role of these Catholic holidays in Ironweed? What do these holidays explain in the novel?

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This section contains 881 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample