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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 does Serrett say will happen if Ged asks the stone a question?

2. Why does Ged have to stop chasing the shadow?

3. Whose point of view does Le Guin switch to when Ged fights the Shadow?

4. About whom does the woman tell Ged?

5. What is the woman's name?

Short Essay Questions

1. At what point in this chapter does Ged show his increasing maturity?

2. What does it show that Ged respects the couple's decision to stay on the island?

3. Why does Ged seek security at Roke and not in his hometown in Gont?

4. Why do you think chasing the shadow takes away some of its power?

5. In what way does Ged show he is still not mature enough to defeat the Shadow?

6. Do you think Ged achieves everything in his life he wanted to do?

7. What does it say about Vetch and Ged's friendship that Ged is drawn to the village even before he meets his friend?

8. Why does Pechvarry act so negatively towards Ged?

9. How does Ged realize the Shadow's name?

10. How does Ged's reaction to the town's celebration show a change in his character?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Using examples from the book discuss how Ged's personal journey makes a complete circle? Does he re-live similar situations? How does he react differently to them the second time round?

Essay Topic 2

Ursula Le Guin is famous as a feminist science fiction and fantasy writer. How do you think she portrays her female characters in this book? Why do you think she has so few female characters? Do think this is a statement in itself?

Essay Topic 3

The Wizard of Earthsea is a fantasy novel with many of the conventions you would associate with the fantasy genre.

1) Discuss what you already know about the fantasy genre. What do you think are the conventions of a fantasy book in terms of structure, characters and themes?

2) What kind of fantasy book is Wizard of Earthsea? What conventions does it use from the genre? Does it take anything from any other genre? Does Le Guin subvert any of the fantasy genres conventions?

(see the answer keys)

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