The Year of Magical Thinking Quizzes

The Year of Magical Thinking Quiz 1

By Alexander Lin · Last reviewed January 01, 2018

1 When did Didion write the first words after John's death?

May 2004

January 2004

December 2004

June 2004
2 What are the first words of the book?

The question of self-pity.

Life changes in an instant.

Life sudden changes.

Life changes fast.
3 Where does the phrase "In the midst of life we are in death" come from?

One of Didion's own novels

Episcopalians

Something Quintana says

One of John's essays
4 When does John die?

January 3, 2004

December 25, 2004

December 30, 2003

September 2, 2003
5 Didion writes that she has been a what her entire life?

A dreamer

A writer

A self-pitier

A woman
6 What is Didion's first response when John freezes at the dinner table?

She realizes he is having a brain hemorrhage.

She thinks it is a joke.

She rushes to call to ambulance.

She thinks of Quintana.
7 What does Didion think of the story of a mother who would not let an army official into her home to tell her of her son's death?

She does not understand the story.

She thinks the woman is irrational.

She pities the woman.

She recognizes the thinking as her own.
8 When does the phrase "a mote in the eye of God" come to Didion?

When thinking about how short their lives are

When thinking about the fragility of their lives

When thinking about Quintana

When thinking about the time passing as John is taken to the hospital
9 Who first calls Didion a "cool customer"?

The doctor

John

Her social worker

Didion herself
10 Why does Didion find it difficult to give away John's shoes?

She doesn't think anyone is worthy of having them.

She feels that he will need them to come back.

She feels they have sentimental value.

She is too unhappy to think about it.
11 What is the time of death on John's death certificate?

9:09pm

6:56pm

11:40pm

10:18pm
12 How would John take notes?

On index cards

By typing on his own phone

In a pocket notebook

By telling Didion to record on her phone
13 Where does the phenomenon of "waves" come up?

Looking at Quintana

Discussion of grief

A trip to the beach

A meditation on time
14 Why does Didion call the Los Angeles Times after John's death?

To publish John's last story

To ensure John's obituary is not only in the New York Times

To ask for files they have kept about John

To talk to a friend there
15 Didion writes, "I needed to be alone so that ___."

I would remain a cool customer

he could come back

the grief could come to me

I could process my feelings
16 What is the title of the Freud essay that Didion quotes?

The Question of Self-Pity

Mourning and Melancholia

The Problem of Grief

The Vortex Effect
17 Didion recognizes the kind of irrational thoughts she is having. What is the effect of this recognition?

She stops thinking them at all.

She decides to give herself entirely to her grief.

No effect at all.

Not much; she continues to think those things.
18 When does Didion think about John's eyes?

When she looks at Quintana

When she is called about organ donation

When she looks at his photograph

When she watches his autopsy
19 What was the importance of John's funeral to Didion?

She acknowledged his death in a public way.

She went through the motions of life.

She finally let him go.

She said her last goodbye to him.
20 In times of trouble, what does Didion go to?

Music

Painting

Walking

Literature
21 What does Didion refer to as "sideswiping"?

Sudden deaths such as John's

Sudden illnesses such as Quintana's

Worrying too much about death

Losing herself in memories
22 What does Didion find interesting about an entry on grieving in a book of etiquette?

It is very soulful.

It contradicts what medical manuals say to do.

It is way too simple.

It is completely practical.
23 When is Quintana first admitted to the hospital?

December 25, 2003

December 18, 2003

December 30, 2003

December 22, 2003
24 Why is Quintana admitted to the hospital?

Broken leg

Brain hemorrhage

Depression

Flu
25 During the night of John's death, what part of Didion's home makes her feel that things are normal?

The fire

The books John is reading

The dinner table

The food

Essays for The Year of Magical Thinking

The Year of Magical Thinking essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion.

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