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. How does Bruce get home from his job?

2. Who does Bruce try to give advice to in the restaurant?

3. How many years have passed since Bruce has left his hometown?

4. Where does Bruce go after he checks into his hotel?

5. How does Bruce spend most of his time now?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Bruce distinguish between Young Bruce and Mature Bruce?

2. What is the premise of RECAPITULATION?

3. What happened after Bruce finally made it into Nola's room?

4. What messy school project does Bruce recall and how did his father harass him?

5. How does the episode of Bruce touching the girl's breast show what a simple time he lived in?

6. What prompts Bruce to think of Jack Bailey and what does he recall regarding Jack being a cad with women?

7. What does Bruce find amusing about the building the funeral home is housed in?

8. Who are the two friends that Bruce recalls as he reminisces about his childhood?

9. What happens when the girl's boyfriend realizes that Bruce has gotten fresh with her?

10. How does the elevator episode show Bruce's feelings for Nola?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Stegner's writing style. How is he different from other writers of his time? What are some of his characteristic writing techniques? Identify some examples of his classic style in RECAPITULATION.

Essay Topic 2

Project into the future ten years and write a brief synopsis for Bruce's life. Be sure to include emotional states as well as physical characteristics, geographic locations, work, hobbies, and socialization. Will he ever return to Salt Lake City?

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,022 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample