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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 are Severian and his challenger wearing when they enter the arena?

2. Who does Severian save in the cemetery?

3. What are the men in the graveyard doing when Severian sees them?

4. When Severian and Dorcas come upon Dr. Talos and Baldanders performing a play, how does Dr. Talos introduce them to the crowd?

5. What does Severian name the dog?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does the guild teach torturer apprentices to tend wounds?

2. What happens to anything that touches the leaves of an avern?

3. What happened to the other men that Agilus and Agia had challenged in the same manner as Severian?

4. What does Thecla hope the Autarch will do?

5. Why does Vodalus give Severian a gold coin?

6. What does Severian do for Thecla that breaks a rule of the guild?

7. Why does Master Gurloes ask Severian if he wants to be a torturer?

8. Why does Severian say he wants to be a torturer?

9. As Severian prepares to leave the city following the execution of Agilus, what does he learn about the priestesses?

10. Why do Severian and the other boys sneak to the gate of the graveyard?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the author portray women in Shadow & Claw? Does the way in which he describes female characters and the way the characters act show a respect for women or does it show disrespect? Do you think this feeling is that of the author or is it merely a reflection of Severian's character?

Essay Topic 2

Why does the author use past tense to tell this story? What purpose does it serve? Does it add to or detract from the story? Would the story work if told in any other tense?

Essay Topic 3

There are certain events within the book that draw the reader to make some correlation between Shadow & Claw and the Christian Bible. Identify at least three aspects of the book that can be compared to the Bible and explain each of them. Describe the aspects and Biblical references. Are the similarities intentional? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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