View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is Kear able to do?

2. From where does Amy often have to fetch Ted?

3. What do some of the people at Mrs. Greencourt's tea party believe about literature?

4. Who is Miss Fellows?

5. To what of Shakespeare's aspects are Ted compared?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does William express about the concept of beauty?

2. What does William say when asked about Edward Driffield and what do they debate?

3. How does Ashenden characterize Alroy Kear's writing career?

4. Describe William's memory of the last time he saw Ted.

5. How does William act for a while around the Driffields after seeing Rosie with Kemp?

6. What is fashionable to do when William is a young man?

7. Describe Roy Kear.

8. How does William initially meet Rosie?

9. How does William link Ted's advancing age with his success?

10. What happens when William comes home for Easter Break and what surprising announcement does the Vicar make?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mrs. Greencourt holds a tea party attended by Mrs. Encombe, Blackstable's first "New Woman." She leads the discussion of novels that the Vicar advocates burning but some of the ladies admit enjoying. The group concludes that literature ought not deal with the vicious aspects of society. Discuss the following:

1. Describe and analyze the discussions at the tea party at Mrs. Greencourt. What is said about literature? Do you agree? Why do you think the participants say this? Do you think they agree or are afraid to be branded as coarse themselves?

2. Many of the ladies admit enjoying some of the novels that the Vicar advocates burning. Research and discuss how novels are evaluated in the mid to late Victorian era. How has the attitude towards novels changed today?

3. Discuss the idea that literature ought not deal with the vicious aspects of society. Do you agree? Why or why not? Do you think the literature of today has gone too far as to what novels will include? Why or why not.

Essay Topic 2

Rosie Driffield is a person and idea that weaves itself throughout the entire narrative. One might even say that the book is about Rosie rather than Ted or any other character. Discuss the following:

1. Discuss Rosie's character. What are her strengths and weaknesses? Is she presented as a well-rounded or flat character? What is she passionate about? Is she passionate about anything? Is she honest and sincere? Is this a woman that men and maybe some women would die for? Why or why not?

2. Does Rosie change from when she is revealed as a young woman to when she is older and William writes about meeting her again in New York? How is she the same? How is she different?

3. Rosie ignores the rather strict conventions of her day for women. She neither feels bound by convention nor feels the need to flaunt her behavior. Research and state the beliefs about women and expectations of behavior for women of this late Victorian era. How does Rosie fit or break those beliefs/expectations? Give specific examples.

Essay Topic 3

In Chapter 5, Gossipy maid Mary-Ann fills young William in on the Driffields' history. Discuss the following:

1. What is ironic about Mary-Ann gossiping about someone else being immoral? Research what both the Jewish Torah and the Christian New Testament says about gossip and slander.

2. What is hypocritical about Mary-Ann gossiping about someone else being immoral?

3. Do you think it is moral for Mary-Ann to be telling a youth the information she gives William? Why or why not?

4. William interprets the information from Mary-Ann through the lens of his reading novels that deals with such topics. What does this say about William's worldly experiences? His being ready to hear what Mary-Ann says?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,611 words (approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample