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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 has Miss Wilcox’s estranged husband appeared in order to do in Chapter 17?

2. When she visits Miss Wilcox in Chapter 28, Mattie tells her she’s decided not to do what?

3. What is the name of the young woman who is engaged to Royal Loomis’s older brother?

4. What is the title of Emily Baxter’s new book that Mattie received in the mail in Chapter 27?

5. Why did Royal supposedly inform against Emmie Hubbard’s back-taxes in Chapter 29?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is the character of Mr. Maxwell introduced in Chapter 20? What are Mattie’s impressions of this character?

2. What does Mattie discover at the home of Emmie Hubbard in Chapter 18?

3. How does Mattie’s relationship with Royal Loomis progress in Chapter 18? How does this relate to Grace Brown’s story?

4. What event takes place surrounding Weaver Smith’s character in Chapter 22?

5. How is Mattie trained at the Glenmore Hotel? Who does she work for?

6. What leads Mattie to leave the Glenmore Hotel and go home for a week in Chapter 25?

7. What news does Pa bring to Mattie regarding Weaver Smith’s family in Chapter 32?

8. What are Mattie’s principle concerns about her relationship with Royal in Chapter 18? What does Tommy Hubbard relate to Mattie in this chapter?

9. What does Mattie discover through Grace Brown’s letters in Chapter 19? What are her thoughts on this discovery?

10. Where is Miss Wilcox planning to depart for in Chapter 27? How does Mattie visit her teacher?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss the murder of Grace Brown at the Covewood Lodge in 1906. Who was tried and convicted of the murder? What transcripts remain of the trial? What evidence was presented? Where in the Adirondacks did the murder occur? How does the author incorporate this setting into A Northern Light?

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast the characters of Weaver Smith and Minnie Compeau in the novel. How are Minnie and Weaver different as characters? What similarities do they share? How is each of their relationships to the protagonist depicted?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Mattie’s indecision about the proposition of marriage to Royal Loomis. What to Mattie would be the benefits of marrying Royal? What would be the disadvantages? How do you think you’d feel if you were in Mattie’s position?

(see the answer keys)

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