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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 does Shep's mother do with the family fortune?

2. Why did Maureen escape to New York City?

3. How does the reader learn a lot of back story on the current situation between Frank and April?

4. What does Frank do when she starts to go into a long explanation?

5. As they sip their tea, what does Helen Givings do?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do the children respond to their parents' moods?

2. How does Frank's mood affect his productivity?

3. What has happened to John Givings?

4. How do the audience members and actors feel at intermission?

5. How does Frank's father feel when they return from the city?

6. How does Shep meet Milly? What happens to their relationship?

7. How does April feel after the play? How does this affect her relationship with her husband?

8. How does Frank feel about seeing his wife on stage?

9. Describe Frank's first visit to this building.

10. How does the reader learn the back story between Frank and April?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The relationship between April and Frank Wheeler is constantly changing throughout this story.

Part 1) How does their relationship appear at the beginning of the story?

Part 2) How does it change throughout the play? What causes these changes?

Part 3) Would you consider this a typical American marriage? Why or why not?

Part 4) Is this relationship supposed to reveal something about real life? If so, what? If not, what is its purpose?

Essay Topic 2

Frank cannot believe April is really dead.

Part 1) How does Frank grieve April's death? Why can he not accept that she has died?

Part 2) How has her death affected his life and the lives of his children?

Part 3) Will he eventually recover? Why or why not?

Part 4) How does his reaction to April's death affect the reader?

Essay Topic 3

Another theme has to do with the struggle between one's desires and one's responsibilities.

Part 1) How is this thematic?

Part 2) How do these characters struggle with this theme? Which do they often choose, their desires or their responsibilities?

Part 3) How does this theme reflect real life? What do the actions of the characters, in regards to this theme, say about humanity? Do you agree? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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