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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. Who is Gary Nixon?

2. What does Lyla feel Mel is experiencing?

3. What do some of the religious right say homosexuals want as far as children are concerned?

4. What happens a year after White writes Falwell?

5. What book does Robertson want Mel's help to write?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does White's parents react to his telling them of his homosexuality?

2. What does the religious right try to push through in Oregon, and what does White do about it?

3. What was Mel White determined to do after the end of his relationship with Tom?

4. Who is R. J. Rushdoony? What is his view about homosexuality and White's thoughts about that?

5. Why does White write a letter to Falwell? What is Falwell's response?

6. What did White plan to do while scuba diving in Hawaii? What changed his mind?

7. Who was Michael Piazza, and what did he offer White?

8. Why does White decide to accept Piazza's offer?

9. Describe White's experience with Tom Montgomery.

10. What is the Truth in Love campaign?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mel White considers himself a child of the Religious Right, raised in evangelical nondenominational churches by an incredibly devout family, always in the thick of the evangelical movement. Discuss the following:

1. Research the history of the religious right in the United States and write an informative essay of what you learned.

2. Write an argument/persuasive essay on the following question: Is being a religious fanatic better than having no beliefs?

3. How reliable do you think Mel White is as a narrator when it comes to his perception of the religious right? Discuss fully using examples from the text.

Essay Topic 2

Often titles reveal much about one or more aspects of a novel. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think is the purpose of a title? How closely related to a major theme(s) of a book do you think a title should be? Or should it be?

2. The phrase Stranger at the Gate appears in the Christian Bible in the story about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Research the story and write why you think White named his book after that story.

3. If you were the writer of Stranger at the Gate and your editor said the title must be changed, what would you choose? Why?

4. How do you feel when you have finished reading a book and you still do not understand the meaning of the title in relation to the book?

Essay Topic 3

Many readers of fiction place themselves in the position of one character, wondering if they would do the same thing as that character. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think one of the values of literature is to serve as a reflection of oneself? Why or why not?

2. Socrates said "Know thyself." How can reading a book such as Stranger at the Gate help a reader to know him/herself? Do you find yourself reflecting on your own character and abilities when reading Stranger at the Gate? Why or why not.

3. Choose one specific incident in Stranger at the Gate to discuss and compare Mel's or Lyla's response to how you think you would respond.

(see the answer keys)

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