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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. Whose marriage does Randolph discuss with Joel in Chapter 4?

2. Who throws the religious service in Chapter 3?

3. What does Amy request to do that brings Joel out of his head in Chapter 4?

4. What is the name of the man Jesus Fever's granddaughter married?

5. What breaks the tension in the room for Joel in Chapter 4 while Amy is playing an instrument?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Joel ask God for at the end of the prayer service?

2. How does Amy react when she learns Joel tried to run away?

3. How is Miss Wisteria described when Joel and Idabel first meet her?

4. What does Joel see a woman doing in his room when he awakes at the beginning of Chapter 2?

5. Why doesn't Joel want to go home and change clothes before going fishing with Idabel in Chapter 7?

6. How does Idabel react when Joel kisses her on the cheek?

7. How is the photo of Joel's father in his prime described?

8. How are Zoo and Jesus Fever described at the beginning of the prayer service?

9. How does Joel react after his haircut from Zoo is finished?

10. What happens to John Brown when Joel and Randolph take him to Little Sunshine's house?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the author's portrayal of the father figure in the book. What impact might Ed Samson's being an invalid have on Joel's desperate search for a male figure in his life?

Essay Topic 2

A common theme represented in many of the characters in the book is a sense of isolation.

Part 1.) How have the residents of Skully's Landing purposefully isolated themselves from outsiders, and what motivations do they have for doing this? Part 2.) How has Joel created a sense of comfort within his isolation, and what is telling of his character based on this action?

Part 3.) What might the author be saying about the nature of the book's main characters based on their willing participation in their own isolation?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the author's portrayal of love through the book's characters. What means does Joel resort to when seeking love in the book, and what role might this have on his strange bond developed with Randolph?

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