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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. Which book began as a story that Tolkien created to read to his children?

2. How does Tolkien respond to C.S. Lewis' use of the name Numenor in one of his stories?

3. How do the Belgians describe Tolkien in Letter #165?

4. According to the information in Letter #182, what position does Tolkien now have?

5. Based on Tolkien's assessment in Letter #159, who is the most surprised about the results of the published books?

Short Essay Questions

1. When is Tolkien's final letter written and how does he attempt to assemble his work before he passes away?

2. How does Tolkien support his assessment of Gandalf's Ring-wearing in Letter #246?

3. How does Allen & Unwin respond to Tolkien's opinion of the cover images?

4. According to Tolkien's letter to W.H. Auden, what drives humans towards certain behaviors?

5. What previously unmentioned career achievement does Tolkien reveal to Christopher Bretherton in Letter #253?

6. How does Tolkien address the name Numenor in Letter #227?

7. What is the general range in lengths of the letters featured in The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien?

8. What important announcement does Tolkien make to Christopher Bretherton in Letter #253 about his connection to childhood?

9. What does Tolkien think about Frodo's breakdown at the Cracks of Doom being considered a moral failure?

10. Why, when, and how does Tolkien switch from writing with a pen and paper to using a typewriter?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast the differences between literature that is designed to be read out loud and stories that are written to be read silently. Use Tolkien's work as a reference, including his intent with Farmer Giles of Ham and a look at the role of writing that is intended to be presented verbally in contemporary literature.

Essay Topic 2

Describe in detail the story that Tolkien tells Christopher about a train ride he has with two other men in a letter from April 3, 1944. Also, include the literary techniques used by Tolkien in the letter and why they display his skill as a writer.

Essay Topic 3

Mortality and humanity are two themes that are present in Tolkien's novels.

1) Describe why Tolkien chooses to place humans in the background of his stories instead of featuring them as main characters.

2) Compare the psychological issues that Elves have in dealing with their immortality.

3) Analyze the parallels between the struggles that human beings have with their mortality and the problems the Elves face with their existence.

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