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. Where does Rosemary shout that Hal belongs?

2. What does Bomber ask Madge?

3. For how long has Mrs. Potts hired Hal to work?

4. What is Millie anxious about?

5. With whom is Millie bickering on the porch at the Owens house?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Madge hurt Hal when he kisses her goodbye?

2. What is Hal's demeanor when he returns to the Owens household?

3. Why is Flo obsessed with wanting Madge to marry Alan?

4. How does Madge leave her mother's house?

5. Why is Rosemary in a flurry of activity this morning?

6. Explain how Madge and Hal declare their true feelings for each other.

7. What does Madge dream of when she hears the train whistle in the distance?

8. How do Madge and Hal meet?

9. Which characters live in the two homes?

10. How does Madge respond to Hal's vulnerability?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the overall setting for the play. Why does Inge use the setting he does? What is the time period of the story? How important is the time period to the attitudes and issues of the characters?

Essay Topic 2

PICNIC is set in the 1950s during a time of economic boom but sexual repression. What impact did these two factors have on the author? What impact did these factors have on his work, especially the PICNIC? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Project into the future ten years and write a brief synopsis for the lives of Madge, Rosemary, Millie and Hal. Be sure to include emotional states as well as physical characteristics, geographic locations, work, hobbies, socialization, etc.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 729 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample