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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 Miss Amelia's physical appearance?

2. What is Miss Amelia's demeanor?

3. What happens to Amelia after the activity in #66?

4. Amelia and Cousin Lymon are both ____________.

5. What does Frances do when Mr. Bilderbach wants her to play?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do the townspeople know that Amelia is in love with Cousin Lymon?

2. How does John connect with his ex-wife, Elizabeth, while in New York?

3. What are some of the strange situations that Mr. Brook finds at Madame Zilensky's house?

4. What information does the author provide about events leading up to Miss Amelia's ten-day marriage?

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

6. What stage is the old man in in his system of learning to love?

7. Who is Mr. Brook and what feat has he just managed to pull off for his college?

8. What is the dilemma the author writes about in the title of the story?

9. Why could Martin's children not eat the meal their mother had prepared for them earlier?

10. What literary technique does McCullers use in telling this story and what tone does she set in accomplishing it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author uses more than one instance of irony in the stories. Cite at least two other examples you can identify in the book and note why they are examples of irony.

Essay Topic 2

The author uses some important instances of flashbacks to create "Ballad of the Sad Cafe." Explain what a flashback is and cite at least two making sure to explain what makes each a flashback.

Essay Topic 3

The frustration of unfulfilled affection touches several characters in the story. Name at least two characters who experience unfulfilled love and the situations that occur as a result.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 970 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample