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. Where did Joseph Plunkett marry Grace Gifford just hours before his execution?

2. Where was Molly caught for attempting to steal a book?

3. How old does Vivian say she was when she lost her true love in the Prologue?

4. What grade was Molly in when she transferred to Mount Desert Island High School?

5. Where does Vivian's family take a tenement room for ten dollars a month after arriving in New York?

Short Essay Questions

1. How would you describe Molly's emotional shield in the beginning of the story? What led to the development of this shield?

2. What foreshadowing can be seen through the meeting of Molly and Vivian in the beginning of the novel?

3. What are Molly's first impressions of the attic when she is taken there in Section 2? Who leads Molly to this area of Vivian's house?

4. How would you describe Vivian's relationships with her fellow workers at the clothing manufacturing company owned by the Byrnes?

5. What conversation takes place between Vivian and Dutchy on the orphan train in Minneapolis?

6. What transition occurs when Molly opens the first box in the attic in Section 2? How does the narrative style of the novel change?

7. Describe the process of adoption from the orphan trains. What stands out the most to you about the depictions of these transactions in the novel?

8. What function does Vivian's character play in the story? How is Vivian's character introduced in the beginning of the novel?

9. How would you describe the "historical" aspects of the novel? Is the author effective in illustrating the historical realities of the time period?

10. What happens when the orphan train stops in Minneapolis, Minnesota, according to Vivian's narrative in Section 2? Who is adopted at this stop?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the theme of identity in Orphan Train. What symbolic objects in the story symbolize “self” or “identity” to Vivian and to Molly? How do both Vivian and Molly’s identities change in the course of the narrative? What are some examples of these changes?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze and discuss the character of Molly as the protagonist of Orphan Train. What does the exposition in the beginning of the novel reveal about Molly’s past? How has Molly been affected by living in foster care? How does Molly perceive her foster parents? What emotional defenses do you see in Molly’s character?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and analyze the characters of Mr. and Mrs. Grote in the novel. How old are Mr. and Mrs. Grote? What is their relationship like? How many children live in the Grote home when Vivian arrives? What are Vivian’s impressions of this family?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,095 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample