78 pages 2 hours read

Thornton Wilder

Our Town

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1938

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Exam Answer Key

Multiple Choice

1. D (All acts)

2. A (All acts)

3. A (Act III)

4. B (Act I)

5. C (Act I)

6. D (All acts)

7. B (Act I)

8. B (All acts)

9. D (Act III)

10. C (All acts)

11. A (All acts)

12. D (Act I)

13. C (Act III)

14. B (All acts)

15. C (Act I)

Long Answer

1. George hesitates because he knows he is young and ill-prepared for marriage. He is unsure of how to navigate married life. Emily is unsure if George will be the man she expects him to be and protect her. Their parents perpetuate norms around marrying young by encouraging their children to marry even though they know that it is only due to societal norms that this is encouraged. (Act II)

2. Emily comes to this realization only in death. When she enters the graveyard and realizes she is dead, she asks the Stage Manager to bring her back to her 12th birthday. There, she sees how little she appreciated the simple things, like her family. She wishes that her parents could see her at that moment, but they’re too busy with their daily meddling.

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