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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 do most islanders feel about Olafson's death?

2. What is the name of Jacob Olafson's boat?

3. In chapter 2, where are the knight and his squire headed?

4. What does Prince Boris serve at the feast for the main course?

5. What happens when the Sea King ship is sighted?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Jacob Olafson returns from his great adventure, what does he bring and what does he find?

2. Why is the Battle of Bannockburn so important?

3. Why does Jacob Olafson run away on the day of his sister's wedding?

4. Why does Isa Estquoy know more than the minister and doctor about the community of Norday?

5. What is the scripture reading that the pastor from the Borders, Reverend Hector Drummond, saying?

6. Why does the school teacher, Mr. Simon, have trouble paying for his groceries at the village shop in Norday?

7. Why did the invading ship men stop coming to claim land in the Orkney islands?

8. What does the poorest man in Norday believe politically?

9. What do the family and friends of Jacob Olafson do when the old man dies?

10. What does the title of chapter 3 refer to?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The theme of the disintegration of the broch is carried through chapter 4 from beginning to end. Write an essay on the image of the stones slowly falling into the ocean. Pick out all the examples of this through the chapter and explain the meaning of this symbolic destruction and loss of history, stone by stone.

Essay Topic 2

The style of writing a story within a story is somewhat unique. What does this literary device allow the author to reveal about his main character, Thorfinn? Why doesn't he simply write a book of imaginative stories? How is this double layer of reality different? How does it affect the reader?

Essay Topic 3

Write a detailed character sketch of Mara, the seal wife. What does she give up by marriage to Thorfinn? What is it that she longs for? What is it that she cannot stand, finally, and why does she return to the sea? What does she look like? How does she see the world? What does she want?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 900 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample