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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. How did Isabel feel when she realized that Walter and Serafina had become like family to Ruth?

2. What advice did Isabel receive from the short serving woman she met on the main street of Williamsburg?

3. What new information did Isabel learn about her former mistress, Madam Lockton?

4. How had Isabel and Curzon been getting information to lead them towards Ruth?

5. Why was Isabel nervous upon arriving at Willamsburg?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Anderson begin each chapter in Ashes?

2. What advice did Walter give Ruth before leaving her with Isabel, Curzon and Aberdeen?

3. Why did Isabel say to Curzon, “I know better than you what the pain of fire can do a person” (66)?

4. What did Isabel believe was the worst thing that slave owners did to slaves?

5. What is the narrative point of view of Ashes?

6. What kind of stories did Isabel tell Ruth while she was sleeping?

7. How did Anderson illustrate Ruth’s love of animals throughout their time at Riverbend?

8. Isabel used a simile to describe her feelings when rejected by Ruth. What did she compare herself to?

9. Why did Ruth call the donkey Thomas Boon?

10. What clues led Isabel to believe that Aberdeen was lying about his butcher shop job?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Isabel often jumps to conclusions about what people are thinking based on their actions. Write an essay describing some situations in which she does this and explaining how it affects the way she interacts with her companions.

Essay Topic 2

Anderson sometimes uses italics in Isabel's narration. When does she do this? What is its purpose?

Essay Topic 3

In Ashes, there are many situations in which characters lie, whether for the sake of their safety, for malicious purposes, or simply because they are unsure if the person they are speaking to can face the truth. Write an essay exploring the issue of lying within this novel.

(see the answer keys)

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