View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What notable thing does Will comment on about his friend, Ned?

2. What town was Ned Smythe from?

3. What does the Captain do during the night?

4. What kind of car did Cap buy?

5. How many rooms were in Lady Marsden's mansion?

Short Essay Questions

1. How old was Willie when he became a soldier and how did the war affect him?

2. Who is the only man that Lucy likes in the nursing home?

3. What is the irony of Sal Smith's situation when Will sees him again many years later?

4. Why is Lucy concerned for Will during the family's trip to view Civil War sites?

5. To what does Will attribute Cassie's aloof demeanor?

6. How does Lucy first meet Castalia?

7. Which person does Lucy select as the topic of her paper on the Civil War, and how does she glean her information?

8. Why is Lucy's wedding night especially difficult for Lucy on two levels?

9. Who was Ned Smythe and what was his role in Willie's life?

10. Who was Lady Marsden and what were some of the things she was noted for?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The theme of the passage of time will be an important one in the novel. How does the author begin to build this theme? Give examples of the passage of time throughout the book.

Essay Topic 2

The author begins the story in the present day and tells the story through a series of flashbacks. Why did he choose to tell his story this way? In what way is a flashback technique more interesting for a reader? In what ways is it more complicated?

Essay Topic 3

How does Gurganus use the literary technique of local color in OLDEST LIVING CONFEDERATE WIDOW TELLS ALL? What elements comprise local color? Give some examples of the local color in Falls establishments, in the characters, and in the events.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 905 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample