Chapter 1

Questions

1. What does Brenda ask Neil to do at the beginning of the novel?
2. What does Neil do when he returns home after meeting Brenda?
3. Why is Gladys shocked that Neil calls Brenda?
4. How does Aunt Gladys' family eat dinner?
5. What does Aunt Gladys say when Neil suggests that the family eat dinner together?
6. What is Brenda doing when Neil calls her?
7. What does Brenda ask Neil when he calls back later?
8. What does Brenda agree to let Neil do?
9. How much higher are the suburbs than Newark?
10. What is Brenda concerned with while playing tennis?
11. Why is Neil annoyed when Brenda says she goes to school in Boston?
12. What does Brenda reveal about Newark?
13. Why does Brenda only rush the net after dark?
14. Why did Brenda have a nose job?
15. Why is Ron having a nose job?
16. What does Brenda let Neil do at the end of the chapter?
17. What does Jerry do to himself with the knife?
18. What does Jerry say he was grateful for?
19. Why does Jerry tell Peter to go away?
20. How does the play end?

Answers

1. Hold her glasses
2. He calls her.
3. He doesn't know her.
4. They eat at different times and everyone has a different meal.
5. She's been running the house for twenty years and tells Neil to call his "girl friend."
6. Playing golf
7. If he's a "Negro"
8. Pick her up after she plays tennis
9. 180 feet
10. "Maintaining her beauty as it was"
11. He always names his university when asked.
12. She lived there with her family when she was a baby.
13. She's had cosmetic surgery on her nose.
14. Her nose was bumpy before and she's prettier now.
15. He needs to have his nose fixed if he's going to get a job other than "gym teacher."
16. Kiss her
17. He throws himself on the knife.
18. Talking to Peter
19. If Peter stays, someone will find him.
20. Jerry dies.