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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. In "Telling Stories," what short story does Didion discuss as an example of her lack of control in writing?

2. In "Telling Stories," how many stories does Didion say she had to write in her English 106A class

3. What is one of the images Didion says many people have seen of Hemingway?

4. What is something Didion felt her classmates in English 106A had that she did not in "Telling Stories"?

5. In "Long Distance Runner," who did Richardson take to France when Didion and her husband were unable to join him?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Didion first think Run River was a story about, and what did it become?

2. In "Why I Write," why does Joan say she writes?

3. What does Didion say about the title for her talk "Why I Write" at the start? From whom did she steal the title and what did she like about it?

4. In "Telling Stories," how does Joan describe what she learned about writing while working at Vogue?

5. In "Telling Stories," what class did Joan discuss taking as a junior at Berkeley and how did she feel in that class?

6. Who is Tony Richardson and how is he described in the two pictures Joan discusses at the start of "Long Distance Runner"?

7. In "Some Women," what does Didion say about what artists do and do not like to talk about with regard to their art?

8. What does Didion say about the first paragraph of Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms in "Last Words"?

9. What example does Didion cite as proof that Hemingway did not want his letters to be published after his death in "Last Words"?

10. What does Didion say of Richardson's often contrary behavior?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay about the significance of Didion's Stanford rejection letter in "On Being Unchosen by the College of One's Choice." How did this rejection impact her in both the immediate and the long term? How does Didion feel about this "failure" early on in life?

Essay Topic 2

Choosing 3 essays from Let Me Tell You What I Mean, write a detailed analysis of tone. Include whether the tone changes or remains the same. If it changes, include details on when, why and whether this change is effective.

Essay Topic 3

Write a detailed analysis of Didion's feelings in "Last Words" regarding the posthumous publication of Hemingway's works and letters. Use direct examples from the story that show Didion's feelings.

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