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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 is Lord Horn's position on swordsmen's right to refuse a job?

2. Who is last to arrive at the Duchess's barge for the party?

3. Which position is more powerful, Dragon Chancellor or Crescent Chancellor?

4. What are the revolting workers doing?

5. What time of day is it when Richard wakes at the beginning of Chapter 3?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the most common assumption about who hired St. Vier for the fight?

2. What do the houses in Old Market look like?

3. How does Lord Horn end up angry at Michael during the Duchess's party?

4. What do Richard and Alec say about the Duchess, as they watch the party?

5. What message does Lord Ferris ask Katherine to send to Richard?

6. What is the conflict between Lord Basil Halliday and Lord Karleigh?

7. What does Richard tell Katherine about Alec's background?

8. When Basil meets with Lord Ferris, what does he ask Lord Ferris to do?

9. Why doesn't it matter what Michael is wearing at the Duchess's party?

10. Describe the job that Richard is approached with in Chapter 8.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The nobility in the novel is very concerned with appearances and fashion. Discuss the role of appearances and fashion in the novel.

1) How is the nobility obsessed with appearance? How does appearance affect social status?

2) Why doe Richard get a new suit to go to the theater? What is his perception of this suit, and what role does it play in the culture he is moving in?

3) What does the nobility's obsession with appearance and fashion say about their values?

Essay Topic 2

One of the primary thematic ideas in the novel is social class. Discuss social class in the novel.

1) What are the social classes in the novel, and what defines them? How does society treat the members of different social classes?

2) How do the characters in the novel fit into their social classes, and what dissatisfies characters about their social classes?

3) How do the different social classes interact with each other and affect each other?

Essay Topic 3

Richard, as a swordsman, has a violent and even bloodthirsty role in the novel. Discuss violence and death in the novel.

1) How does the society look at death? How seriously does the society take death and violence?

2) What power does Richard's ability to inflict death give him? What other characters gain power through death and violence?

3) How is violence viewed differently by the different social classes in the novel?

(see the answer keys)

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