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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 Dillon do with the skull given to her by Fred?

2. Who is Rachel's roommate at nursing school?

3. How old is Toejam Day?

4. Rachel's boyfriend's family is from which Southern city?

5. Which U.S. President is killed while Dillon is in prison?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who does Rachel marry after Fred abandons her?

2. Who is Dillon Freeman and why does he idolize his dead father?

3. What makes Rachel ultimately surrender to her love for Dillon?

4. What is Fiona's interest in the Kentucky Derby?

5. How do Dillon's disappointments by people he idolizes impact his behavior?

6. What does little Jackie recall about Dillon's visits to see her mother?

7. Who is Fred and how does he disappoint Rachel?

8. How does Dillon mirror his father's life regarding standing up for the coal miners?

9. How does Dillon's prison sentence negatively impact his relationship with Rachel?

10. What reasons do Dillon and Fiona have for not wanting Rachel to go away to nursing school?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Create a character study of Jackie. What are her physical characteristics? What are her motivations? What are her fears? What are her dreams? What else can you say about Jackie?

Essay Topic 2

Poverty seems to be almost an unnamed character in the book. How pervasive is the sense of poverty? Why does it have such a prevalent place in the characters' lives? Explain how an inanimate object or characteristic can be a character.

Essay Topic 3

The author uses more than one iteration on the theme of disappointment. Identify at least two characters who either embody or experience disappointment then cite an example to support your answers.

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