A Prayer For Owen Meany Chapter 8 Quiz

Multiple Choice Read the following passage and complete the following questions by chosing the best answer.

“Did you hear about Marilyn Monroe?” the ski bum asked us. We were prepared for a dirty joke--an absolutely filthy joke. The ski bum’s smile was a bleeding gash in his face; his smile was the repulsive equal to his gaping wound in his cheek. He was lascivious, depraved--our much-appreciated holiday in the emergency room had taken a nasty turn. We tried to ignore him. . . . “She’s dead,” the ski bum said. He took sadistic pleasure in his announcement, his smile appeared to pump the blood out of his mouth in the hole in his cheek; I thought that he was as pleased by the shock value of what he had to say as he was thrilled by the spectacle of wringing his own blood from the sodden gauze pad into the sodden towel.

1. (5 points) Which of the following lines shows the

use of DIRECT characterization? a. The ski bum’s smile was a bleeding gash in his

face b. I thought that he was pleased c. “She’s dead,” the ski bum said d. He was lascivious, depraved

2. (5 points) Use context clues to define the word

lascivious: a. robbery b. bawdy c. powerful d. wholesome

3. (5 points) Use context clues to define sodden:

a. sluggish b. saturated c. semi-permiable d. sun-baked

4. (5 points) The words “sodden gauze pad ” and “sodden towel” in the passage are: a. Narrative Details: they give the reader

important, necessary information about the characters, setting, or plot.

b. Neither: they neither answer questions the reader may have nor provide a vivid image.

c. Narrative description: they present a vivid image that helps describe the characters, setting, or plot.

d. Both: they help define the characters and setting, as well as providing a vivid image.

5. (5 points) The words “gaping wound ” and

“bleeding gash” in the passage are: a. Narrative Details: they give the reader

important, necessary information about the characters, setting, or plot.

b. Neither: they neither answer questions the reader may have nor provide a vivid image.

c. Narrative description: they present a vivid image that helps describe the characters, setting, or plot.

d. Both: they help define the characters and setting, as well as providing a vivid image.

6. (5 points) The words “emergency room” and “We

tried to ignore him” in the passage are: a. Narrative Details: they give the reader

important, necessary information about the characters, setting, or plot.

b. Neither: they neither answer questions the reader may have nor provide a vivid image.

c. Narrative description: they present a vivid image that helps describe the characters, setting, or plot.

d. Both: they help define wthe characters and setting, as well as providing a vivid image.

Short Answer

1. (3 points) Why does John feel that Owen and Hester are not a happy couple?

2. (3 points) In Owen’s opinion, what is the real

reason Americans protest against the Vietnam War?

3. (3 points) What is John referring to in the following passage from the story: “I was twenty-one and I was still a Joseph; I was a Joseph then, and I’m just a Joseph now”?

4. (3 points) In what ways does Owen alter the new

statue of Mary Magdalene?

5. (3 points) What is Owen’s assignment after

graduation? How does he feel about it?

6. (3 points) What new information about Owen’s

dream is revealed in this chapter? Describe the dream.

7. (3 points) What two things does Owen do in this

chapter that might be classified under the

heading of “unfinished business,” things that he

might want to do before his death?

8. (3 points) What is Owen’s opinion of the Vietnam

War? Why does he want to go to Vietnam?

9. (3 points) What is Owen’s goal when he insists they

continue to practice “The Shot”?

10. (1 point) Why is this chapter titled “The Finger?