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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 Ona do before she dies?

2. What is the family focused on in their life right now?

3. Why is Jurgis turned down for the job in #111?

4. Who is Jurgis directed to talk to?

5. Who does Jurgis get a visit from?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Jurgis do as soon as he gets his new job?

2. How does Jurgis response to the news of Antanas' death?

3. Where does the drunk young man take Jurgis?

4. How is the midwife described to the reader?

5. What caused little Antanas' death?

6. Who is the visitor Jurgis gets in jail?

7. What happens to Jurgis' $100?

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

9. Jurgis happens upon another political meeting. What is the topic this time?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The idea of love is one that seems to peek out of the story at times, causing the reader to realize the humanity of the story as well. Why do you think Ona and Jurgis love each other? How do they show their love to each other? In the case of Marija and Tamoszius, why were they included in the story? What purpose do they serve? What is Sinclair saying about love?

Essay Topic 2

The character of Jurgis is the main character of the story, but what does he represent in a larger sense? What are some characteristics that make him easy for a reader to relate to? Why did he leave his homeland to come to the United States? Was this a good idea? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

The narrator of the story is Sinclair himself, which gives the story a different tone than most other novels. That said, how do you think Sinclair's narration has affected the story? What does this story say about Sinclair? Do you think the story could have been told more truthfully by Jurgis? What would have happened if the story had been told from the meat packer manager's point of view?

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