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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. What message do the British send to the fort?

2. About what is Willy afraid?

3. Who are Jordan and Lucy?

4. Where is Freeman the cow kept?

5. What do the two men say to Willy and her mother?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the debate Willy has in her head concerning being an American versus a British subject.

2. What does Willy's father say about seeing the British ships in the bay?

3. Describe the first encounter between Willy and the Ivers.

4. What does Willy do after leaving the fort?

5. What noise do Willy and Lucy hear, and what is the cause of the noise?

6. What does Lucy ask of her husband? How does he respond?

7. How does Willy escape the American raiding party?

8. Describe Willy's first meeting with her aunt Betsy.

9. How do the British treat the Americans after the Americans surrender?

10. How does Willy travel to her aunt and uncle's home?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many authors if queried would admit that they have an agenda for writing a particular novel. Discuss the following:

1. Define and give examples of the concept of "author agenda."

2. Do you think Collier has an agenda in mind when he writes War Comes to Willy Freeman?

3. What do you think would be Collier's agenda(s) (if he has one)? Give examples to illustrate how the agenda is fulfilled.

4. Do you think writers who have an agenda for writing should point it out in a preface?

5. How often do you think fiction is written with a clear agenda in mind by the author?

Essay Topic 2

Willy chooses to pretend to be a boy for some time for her own safety. At least twice in the book, she is sexually assaulted by a solider. Discuss the following:

1. Discuss the instances Willy is sexually harassed and why. Do you think she does anything to provoke such actions by the soldiers? How does Willy respond to the harassment? How would you respond in the present day and age? Did Willy have such options in her day?

2. One of the many unfortunate offshoots of war is the sexual abuse and rape of women. Why do you think this is true? Should soldiers be controlled better? Why do you think soldiers rape women who are on the "other side" when they would not dream of raping women in their own country?

3. Do you think sexual abuse for someone of Willy's age is less prevalent today? Why or why not? Do the laws adequately protect women today? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Characters are an integral and important part of almost all novels. Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast the characters of Willy Freeman from the beginning of the book to who she is at the end of the book. How are they similar? How are they different? Which character do you like more? Be specific and give examples.

2. Compare/contrast the characters of Mr. Goodrich and Mr. Fraunces. How do they seem different? Which do you like more? Why? Which one seems more of a well-rounded character?

3. Thoroughly analyze how three of the secondary characters in War Comes to Willy Freeman help drive the plot and what their contribution is to the storyline. Are any of the secondary characters unnecessary? Indispensable? Which of the secondary characters are likable? Which are either unlikable or even despicable? Be specific and give examples.

(see the answer keys)

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