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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 literary technique does McCullers use when mentioning Amelia's very brief marriage to Marvin Macy?

2. For what is Miss Amelia noted for making?

3. What does the cafe seem to provide to people?

4. How many years have passed since the opening of Amelia's cafe?

5. How does Amelia spend the rest of her life?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the relationship between Amelia and Lymon compare to the one between Amelia and Marvin?

2. Why is Bitsy so bitter about his situation regarding his life compared to the lives of the rich men at the table?

3. What details does McCullers provide which would serve to especially infuriate Bitsy about the men?

4. What does Mister Bilderbach try to get Frances to play in her lesson to get her enthused again?

5. What literary technique does McCullers use in mentioning Amelia's brief marriage to Marvin Macy?

6. Why has Frances begun to dread her piano lessons even though she is technically very competent?

7. What happens when a young boy enters a diner one night?

8. What is the nature of the altercation between Martin and his wife, Emily?

9. Explain the old man's "a tree, a rock, a cloud" system of learning to love.

10. After listening to so many of Madame Zilensky's stories, what finally alerts Mr. Brook that she is a pathological liar?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Select three characters from any of the stories and project into the future ten years and write a brief synopsis for their lives. Be sure to include emotional states as well as physical characteristics, geographic locations, work, hobbies, and socialization.

Essay Topic 2

There are several events of foreshadowing in "Ballad of the Sad Cafe". Define foreshadowing. Cite at least two situations in the story that serve as foreshadowing.

Essay Topic 3

Create a brief character study of Amelia. What does she look like? What are her positive personality traits? What are some of her negative characteristics? What are her hopes and fears? What motivates her, if anything, at this point in her life?

(see the answer keys)

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