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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 it suggested was behind the assault on Eric Lopley?
2. When Harry and Jean go out into the hallway together, he decides to "make hay while the match was shining" (26). What does the expression "make hay" mean?
3. Why does Gallows go to the market one Saturday afternoon?
4. What is Gallows looking for when he comes into Battersby's apartment?
5. When the men indicate that they do not trust Battersby to hold the group's money, who volunteers to be the group's treasurer?
Short Essay Questions
1. How does the sentence "I mean, you think it have a lot of obeah and black magic in the West Indies, but if you listen to some of these Nordics" illustrate the unusual aspects of this book's narrative voice?
2. Other than the money, what do the things that Battersby imagines the genie bringing him all have in common with one another, and what does this demonstrate about Battersby himself?
3. What is ironic about the difference between the food Battersby imagines on page 2 and the food he genuinely likes?
4. How did Gallows come to meet Battersby and his friends?
5. Describe Matilda's conflicting thoughts about Jean's being a sex worker.
6. Describe Battersby's apartment.
7. Why does the narrator say that weather forecasters should be "diplomats" (4)?
8. According to the narrator, what are Alfy's, Nobby's, and Syl's real thoughts about buying the house?
9. What observations does the narrator make about hidden ambition before telling the story of how Gallows came to England?
10. To whom does Battersby threaten to complain about his housing situation, and why does he decide against making a complaint?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Write an essay that analyzes Battersby's character. How is his characterization established? Is he a flat or round character? Static or dynamic? Ultimately, what purpose does his character serve in supporting the novel's theme? Support your ideas with evidence from the text, and cite all sources in MLA format.
Essay Topic 2
Write an essay explicating the possible purposes of the parallels between techniques used in The Housing Lark and in calypso music. Show what these parallels are, providing evidence for the similarities you identify. Then, explain how these parallels support meaning--for instance, by creating atmosphere and conveying ideas. Support your ideas with evidence from the text, and cite all sources in MLA format.
Essay Topic 3
Write an essay that analyzes the layered meaning of the book's title. How does the title point toward the idea of a quixotic quest? How does it create expectations of humor? How does it exemplify the way that humor is used to deflect from pain throughout the novel? Why "lark" instead of "folly" or "plan" or "quest"? Support your ideas with evidence from the text, and cite all sources in MLA format.
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This section contains 1,055 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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