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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 the family go the following morning?

2. When John sees Sharon at the office, what does he realize?

3. What body part is in pain after the accident?

4. Where will John have to go on business?

5. Why does John frequently go to the movies?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does John feel about Walter, Kate's fiance?

2. What does John begin to plan on his way back to the office?

3. What is very apparent about John and Aunt Emily's relationship?

4. What does Kate decide to do about her therapist?

5. Why is Lonnie fasting?

6. Who is John excited to see and why?

7. What does John do in order to escape from his life?

8. Who does John remind his mother of?

9. What is John searching for as the novel begins?

10. Where does John live?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

John's longing for a deep and close relationship with a woman is constantly explored throughout the book:

1. Who does John attempt to create relationships? Why does he choose these types of women to go after?

2. How does John's relationship with Aunt Emily, his mother, and Kate, hinder his ability to create healthy relationships with other women?

3. How does John's relationship with movies and being a moviegoer stop him from building relationships.

Essay Topic 2

1. Compare Harold's wife to a typical Southern housewife. How do their actions and behaviors differ from one another?

2. Why is Kate so put out by Harold's wife?

3. Because Kate constantly looks to find her freedom from New Orleans society, is it interesting that Kate is shocked by Harold's wife's actions?

Essay Topic 3

What is John and Kate's journey to Chicago symbolic of? How does their relationship change after they return to New Orleans?

(see the answer keys)

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