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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. What does Mr. Nickles sell?

2. Existentialism says that the sum total of existence is what human beings _______.

3. At the end of the Prologue, what holiday is J.B. shown at?

4. When Mr. Nickles and Mr. Zuss step onto the stage, who is Mr. Zuss going to play?

5. In the story of Job, Satan bets God that if God were to curse Job, Job would do what?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Zuss says that it is indecent to laugh at God, what does Nickles say?

2. What does the debate over whether J.B. knows he is an actor suggest?

3. What do J.B. and Sarah feel, even when they sleep?

4. Why does Nickles think that God is laughing at Job?

5. How does J.B. view his luck at his Thanksgiving dinner?

6. What do the group of women and the young girl do when they first arrive on the stage?

7. How is J.B. and Sarah's youngest daughter killed?

8. What does Zuss tell Nickles that there is left to complete in the story, when Nickles says that there couldn't possibly be more?

9. What is the story of Job about?

10. Why does Nickles say that J.B. would never be willing to take his life back?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Using examples from the play to support your answer, respond to the following question: What is ironic about Satan's argument that God needs to see people as people and not toys? How does this argument relate to the central theme of the play?

Essay Topic 2

What is the importance, or the symbolism, of having the play set in a circus tent? Support your answer with examples from the book.

Essay Topic 3

Does Nickles find humans more worthy of admiration than God? Use examples from the play to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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