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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 is the name of the Christian series that Mel created that was quite successful?

2. Who is Peter W.?

3. How does a black shoeshine man influence Falwell?

4. What is the name of the first book and movie Mel makes?

5. What is one reason that Mel finds for which Sodom was not destroyed?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does White decide to go to Fuller Theological Seminary?

2. How does Mel describe his grandmother Noni as far as religion is concerned?

3. What is Mel afraid to ask the young seminarian and why?

4. Who is Jeffrey S. and what is his story?

5. Describe Mel's brief involvement with Ted.

6. How does Lyla become a Christian?

7. What is Mel's memories of a boy named Darrel at camp?

8. What does Mel say about whom he might blame for his homosexuality and his feeling miserable as an adolescent?

9. What does White start to pursue concerning his feelings of attraction to other men?

10. How does Jim Morgan broaden White's understanding of God?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Stranger at the Gate is a memoir by Mel White. Discuss the following:

1. Define the word "genre" in the context of literary criticism.

2. Why do you think literature is categorized by genre?

3. Does it help to know how a book is categorized as to its genre before reading it? Explain.

4. Memoir used to be considered inferior to what are considered "the classics." Why do you think this is so? Do you believe a book such as Stranger at the Gate is inferior to something such as A Tale of Two Cities? Explain.

5. What is your favorite genre and why?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the following:

1. Thoroughly discuss the character of Mel White. What are his strengths? Weaknesses? How does he evolve over the course of the story? (or does he?) Is he likable at the beginning of the story? At the end of the book? Is he trustworthy? Wise? Would you want him as a friend? As an opponent? Do you think he is loving? Compassionate? Accepting? Tolerant?

2. Thoroughly discuss the character of Lyla. What are her strengths? Weaknesses? How does she evolve over the course of the story? Is she likable at the beginning of the story? At the end of the book? Do you think she is loving? Compassionate? Accepting? Tolerant?

3. Thoroughly discuss two other persons of your choosing. What are their strengths? Weaknesses? How do they evolve over the course of the story? (or do they?) Are they likable at the beginning of the story? At the end of the book? Are they trustworthy? Wise? Would you want them as friends? Are they likely to be opponents to your way of life? Do you think each one is loving? Compassionate? Accepting? Tolerant?

Essay Topic 3

Most people are a mixture of admirable traits and character flaws, and both Mel White and Jerry Falwell are no exceptions.

1. Trace and analyze situations when White and Falwell each demonstrates his admirable traits. Give specific examples to illustrate your analysis.

2. Trace and analyze both White and Falwell's character flaws, and explain how the flaws create the conflicts in the book. How do you think either man's character flaws make some situations more difficult for him?

3. After analyzing each man's strengths and weaknesses, decide if each man is an appropriate "hero" of the story. Is there anyone else who might be a more admirable "hero"?

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