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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. Someone whispers to Jurgis as he falls asleep during another political meeting. What word does the stranger whisper?

2. Why does the stranger want Jurgis to listen to the political meeting?

3. Where are the children coming home from?

4. Whose house do the new friend and Jurgis go to?

5. What do Jack and Jurgis do together once they're out of jail?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where does Jurgis finally find the job that makes him happy, though he does not hold onto it for long?

2. Overcome with grief after Ona's death, what does Jurgis do to soothe his sorrows?

3. Who is the visitor Jurgis gets in jail?

4. What does Jurgis learn about Marija's whereabouts?

5. What happens to Jurgis' $100?

6. What does Jurgis have complete faith in by the end of the story?

7. What happens when there is a strike at the stockyard where Jurgis is working?

8. What is the senator talking about as Jurgis overhears a political meeting?

9. Where does the drunk young man take Jurgis?

10. After the family is evicted, where do they go to live?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sinclair makes it pretty clear in the text the he feels socialism is the answer to the world's problems. Did you think Sinclair's arguments were convincing? Why or why not? How does socialism help Jurgis in this story?

Essay Topic 2

The depressing surroundings are horrendous to live in as the family begins to find work in Chicago. Describe this setting and why it's so deplorable. How does the house affect the family? What are some things that occur as a result of the living conditions? Should this house have been inhabited by people? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Survival of the fittest seems to be an overarching theme of this novel. Those who struggle to survive are often doomed to fail, while those who persevere still don't get all they want. Choose three character from the story and describe how they struggled to survive. What was the outcome? Who were the fittest in the story? Why did you choose these characters?

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This section contains 622 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample