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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 happy news does Madge share with Gar in Episode 1?

2. In the flashback with Katie, what are Gar’s plans for bringing in more income?

3. What is in the suitcase Madge brings in?

4. Why does Boyle ask Gar for money?

5. In the flashback with Katie, why does Gar not do as he is asked by Katie?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Madge and how old is she?

2. How does private Gar try to bring out the difference between public Gar and SB?

3. How does private Gar encourage public Gar in his plans?

4. Why is public Gar ecstatic in the beginning of the play?

5. Why does public Gar always assume a surly gruffness when speaking to his father?

6. When does private Gar taunt public Gar with memories of Katie and why?

7. Who makes the decision to tell Katie’s parents about their plan to get married? Do they tell them? Why?

8. What is the effect of the imagery, “big bugger of a jet, with its snout pointing straight for the States and its tail belching smoke over Ireland" (3) ?

9. What is SB’s nightly routine? Why does private Gar mock him for it?

10. What is Boyle’s parting advice to Gar?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay on the role of substitute mothers in the play. Does Gareth seek maternal love through his actions? Support your position with evidence from the play.

Essay Topic 2

Analyze the character of SB in terms of his obsession with the shop and his reticence where his son is concerned.

Essay Topic 3

Describe how effective the flashbacks are in the play. Do they recreate the past more vividly than other techniques?

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This section contains 777 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample