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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 does John Hurlbird want to be done with the money his family would inherit from his death?
2. Which Christan denomination do Captain Edward Ashbunham's parents follow?
3. When Nancy Rufford is a child, how does her father treat her?
4. How old is Nancy when she is knocked unconscious?
5. Who is the first person to beseech Captain Edward Ashburnham to get married?
Short Essay Questions
1. In Part 4, Chapter 5, John Dowell claims that he is jealous of Leonora Ashburnham. What reason does John have for being jealous of Leonora?
2. Describe the fight that takes place in Part 4, Chapter 2, between Leonora Ashburnham, Nancy Rufford, and Captain Edward Ashburnham?
3. What must Nancy reject in order to make her decision to meet her mother in Glasgow?
4. If Leonora has been so patient and accommodating of Captain Edward Ashburnham's actions, why is Leonora unable to forgive Edward for giving money to the woman accused of murdering a baby?
5. Leonora accepts many of Captain Edward Ashburnham's affairs; however, Leonora does not accept Edward's affair with Florence Dowell. Why does Leonora especially disapprove of Edward's affair with Florence Dowell?
6. Given Captain Edward Ashburnham's adulterous history, why does Leonora Ashburnham send Edward and Nancy to a concert together?
7. John Dowell describes Nancy Rufford as a young and exuberant Catholic school girl. Is Nancy as pious and righteous as her religious upbringing might suggest?
8. How has Captain Edward Ashburnham changed since his youth?
9. Of all the characters presented thus far in the book, who is the most right-minded?
10. Why does John Dowell continually excuse Captain Edward Ashburnham from the reader's judgment?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
In the novel, John makes it his business to asses and judge each character around him and to place blame where blame is due. But what about John? Is John blameless or is John somewhat responsible for "the saddest story" he has ever heard? In what ways has John been responsible for the events of his own tragedy?
Essay Topic 2
Why does John Dowell not intervene in Edward Ashburnham's suicide? Does John fail to intervene because he wants to treat Edward as compassionately as one putting down a suffering old dog? Or does John not intervene for more sinister reasons? What are the possible motivations John may have for allowing Edward to die?
Essay Topic 3
Compare and contrast The Good Soldier's main characters: John Dowell, Florence Dowell, Leonora Ashburnham, and Nancy Rufford. Of these characters, who is the most morally righteous? Who is the most enlightened? Determine the identity of the novel's hero, or whether the novel has a hero at all. In your assessment consider the following questions: does Ford seem to sympathize with any of these characters more than the others? What qualities make one of these characters "better" than the others? Who, if anyone, does Ford believe one should model his behavior after? If Ford indeed elevates one character over all the others, what does his preference imply about the overall message of the novel?
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This section contains 1,208 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) |
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