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. What does Leonard intend to do when he goes upstairs?

2. What is the overall impression of the building Richard lives in?

3. Who is Louis?

4. What is interesting about Richard's lungs?

5. What language did Virginia hear sparrows using?

Short Essay Questions

1. Account for Virginia's idea that death means freedom.

2. What is the significance of the literary prize that Richard has been awarded?

3. What is Virginia's attitude toward Vanessa's children?

4. What fascinates Laura about Virginia Woolf's death?

5. Why is Clarissa hurt about Sally going out to lunch with Oliver St. Ives?

6. Why did Virginia not engage more with Nelly over the matter of the day's menu?

7. What does Virginia Woolf value about youth?

8. What went wrong with the relationship of Clarissa and Richard when they were younger?

9. What sets a favorable writing mindset for Virginia Woolf in this chapter?

10. Comment on an aspect of the Prologue's final paragraph.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In what ways do you think imagery is important in Michael Cunningham's The Hours? Consider concepts and characters and refer closely to the novel.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Cunningham's style in The Hours. Was it essential for him to adopt a style similar to Virginia Woolf's in order to compose this novel?

Essay Topic 3

What does the novel The Hours have to say to us about human love and human frailty? Express your ideas with close reference to the text.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,012 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample