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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 in the envelope Mary Jane gives the doctor?

2. What does Marklin find when he uses Tommy's lighter?

3. What makes a coupling Taltos pair end the coupling?

4. What does the doctor insist upon doing?

5. What does Ash take from the Catholic church?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to Marklin and Tommy at the Motherhouse after the funeral for Stuart?

2. Who are the Little People?

3. How is Mona doing when she and Mary Jane arrive at the dock and what does she tell Mary Jane?

4. How does Ash come to write the book Stuart had in his possession?

5. How did many Taltos women die, and what happens when a Taltos dies? Why was life good for the Taltos?

6. How did Ash's group of Taltos, especially the young ones, feel about the rest of the world?

7. What do Michael and Yuri talk about on the phone?

8. What does Granny tell Mona about walking babies?

9. What does Ash say about Taltos traits and where did the Taltos develop? What usually caused a Taltos to die?

10. What does Rowan tell Ash about a Taltos female, and what is Ash's reaction to the news?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many novels, and perhaps a majority, of novels ends on a happy note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many (most?) people want what they perceive as a happy or good ending to a novel? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why not?

2. What are three reasons to read fiction? Discuss each one in light of Taltos and whether or not it fulfills all three, two or one of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why Taltos is or is not successful in fulfilling the reasons you discuss.

3. Do you think reading solely for entertainment is as good a reason to read as any other? Why or why not? Can any work of fiction or non-fiction, no matter how poorly written, enlighten, teach, stimulate thought? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Whenever reading a science fiction or fantasy novel, one must become familiar with new terminology that explains concepts or ideas that are not a part of the "real" world. In the case of Taltos, much of the setting may seem familiar to the reader (i.e. it is in the "real" world), though there are new ideas and terms to learn. Discuss the following:

1. Find five terms that are a part of the world of Taltos that occur in the "real" world, but are used differently in Taltos.

2. Define the words as used in Taltos's world, and compare those five words as to how they are currently used in the American English language.

3. There are ways of learning about a new world or time when reading a science fiction or fantasy novel. Discuss the ways you were able to understand the world of Taltos. Did you have to look up any words? What does it mean to learn a word through its context? Do you have to do that in Taltos? What word(s)?

4. Were there any words you never really understood from Taltos? Which ones?

Essay Topic 3

There are a number of interesting questions raised by Taltos. Questions that Rice most likely want readers to consider and think through carefully. Discuss the following:

1. What does the term "author agenda" mean?

2. Name one idea/concept you think may have been a part of the Rice's agenda. Analyze that idea throughout the book and discuss Rice's probable agenda concerning that idea.

2. Do you think writers who have an agenda for writing should point it out in a preface?

3. How often do you think fiction is written with a clear agenda in mind by the author?

4. Research the life of Rice and see if/where her life may have influenced her writing.

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