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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. Who is also in the second illusion in Chapter Four?

2. Who was the previous owner of Barnvault’s Folly as said in Chapter Two?

3. What does Lewis want to do for Tarby in Chapter Three?

4. What does Lewis dream of at the end of Chapter Five?

5. What did the previous owner of Barnavelt’s Folly do as said in Chapter Two?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens with Lewis and Tarby’s friendship in Chapter Four? How does Lewis feel about this change?

2. Who previously owned Barnvault’s Folly as said in Chapter Two? What were the old owners like?

3. What is strange to Lewis about playing poker in Chapter One?

4. What does Lewis find Mrs. Zimmerman doing in Chapter One when he first sees her? Why does he feel embarrassed at this?

5. What does Lewis hear when he is up reading a book at night in Chapter One? What does he see when he goes to investigate?

6. As Lewis waits to resurrect the dead in Chapter Five, what does he wish? What happens because of his thinking?

7. How do Lewis and Tarby become friends in Chapter Three? What does Lewis want to do for Tarby?

8. What happens when the moon disappears in Chapter Three? What does Lewis realize he can hear?

9. Why does Uncle Jonathan have so many clocks as he tells Lewis in Chapter Two? How does this relate to the previous owners of the mansion?

10. What happens when Uncle Jonathan hears a clock when he picks Jonathan up in Chapter One? What does Lewis observe about Jonathan when he is walking with him to the mansion?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

While John Bellair’s the House with the Clock in Its Walls is in the Gothic tradition, it combines elements of different Gothic genres and also has introductions of new themes. Write a definition of the new form of Gothic Bellair is making in the novel, what traditions he is pulling from or transforming, what he adds, and why he adds this. Write four pages with at least four textual examples.

Essay Topic 2

The American Gothic’s connection to nature is usually one of fear. What representation of nature is found in the novel? How is magic connected to nature and vice versa? Write three pages with at least four textual examples.

Essay Topic 3

The main event of the rising action in the novel is not introduced until halfway through the book. From there, the rest of the plot events are in the second half of the book. Why is the book structured in this way? What does this structure allow to also be included in the novel? Why are these additions to the plot included? Write three pages with at least four textual examples.

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