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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 is clear about Sharon?

2. What is John longing to find?

3. Why are Lonnie and John jealous of Duval?

4. Where will John have to go on business?

5. From whom does John receive a letter?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What important question does John ask Kate in this chapter?

3. Does John have anything in common with his mother?

4. What occurs on the ride to the Gulf Coast?

5. Where do the two decide to go once at the Gulf Coast and why is John surprised when they arrive?

6. The novel opens with John receiving some bad news. What is it?

7. What does Kate reveal to John about her happiest day?

8. Does Kate understand John's quest?

9. Who does John run into after lunch with his aunt?

10. What becomes clear about John and Kate's relationship?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

1. Freedom is another central theme of the novel. Both John and Kate struggle to find their own independence in different ways. How are John and Kate's searches for independence similar?

2. Describe how John's assertion of manhood and determination to create a relationship with Kate, leads to Kate's oppression.

3. Is this John or Kate's fault?

Essay Topic 2

How are moviegoers outsiders to the rest of the community? Give examples of other groups that are considered loners or outsiders in your community. Why are these people outsiders? Have they made themselves outsiders or has the larger society forced them to become outsiders?

Essay Topic 3

Kate and Aunt Emily are two matriarchal figures in John's life that pressure him to make different decisions.

1. Although Kate thinks she is very different than Aunt Emily, how are the characters the same? Why do they control so much of John's thoughts?

2. Explain why Kate is Aunt Emily's foil in the novel.

3. What life choices does Kate pressure John to make? How is her pressuring any different than the high standards that Aunt Emily has for John?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 682 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample