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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 provides the main order of the letters included in the book?

2. Which school is Tolkien attending when the first letter begins?

3. What does Tolkien suggest is the greatest resource for the information the schoolboy is seeking in Letter #114?

4. Based on the information in the Introduction, how many chapters does the book have?

5. Which character does Tolkien indicate has gained the most power by wearing the Ring?

Short Essay Questions

1. What psychological dilemma does Tolkien discuss about the Elves in Letter #131?

2. How does Tolkien design Farmer Giles of Ham and what does he think about it being considered a children's story?

3. What is the One Ring of Power in Tolkien's stories?

4. In Letters #66 and #69, how is Tolkien's relationship with Christopher defined?

5. How does Rayner Unwin first contact Tolkien, leading to his involvement with publishing The Lord of the Rings?

6. How does Tolkien characterize Sauron in Letter #131?

7. What inspires a schoolboy to write to Tolkien about The Hobbit in Letter #114 and what advice does Tolkien give in return?

8. How can the One Ring of Power be destroyed?

9. How does Tolkien refer to The Hobbit in his early letters to Christopher?

10. What happens between Tolkien and Edith leading up to their engagement?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast Tolkien's career as a professor and his career as an author while he is waiting for The Lord of the Rings to be published. Include several examples of his descriptions of his teaching responsibilities, how he approached them during this time, and the reminder he used when he became concerned with the publishing of his work. Then, analyze the way Tolkien writes about his teaching career after his books have become successful and he has been promoted to Senior Professor.

Essay Topic 2

Explain the difficult situation that Tolkien encounters while having The Lord of the Rings published by Collins, and the events that lead him to work with Unwin & Allen on the trilogy. Also, provide an analysis of the poem, "Errantry," and its significance in the publishing of The Lord of the Rings.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the stages of publishing for The Lord of the Rings, including the following:

1) The initial cover images, Tolkien's reaction to them, and how the publishers respond to him.

2) The galleys and what Tolkien realizes while revising his books.

3) The idea of including maps for Tolkien's imaginary world and how he involves Christopher in the process.

4) The varying tones that Tolkien uses in his letters while describing the events that are leading up to the release of his work.

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