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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. Where does the author feel his loss the most?

2. How does Lewis think his friends react to talking about H.?

3. What kind of understanding did the author have of H.'s dying?

4. What did H. say so often?

5. What quality best characterizes the author's reflections?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe some people whom Lewis thinks are having negative reactions to Lewis and his grief?

2. What do consoling people tell Lewis about where H. is after her death? How does Lewis interpret these attempts to console him?

3. What does Lewis think that he can say about H.'s continuing? Why is it important for Lewis to work out the issue of where H. is?

4. Why can Lewis not talk to his children about their mother?

5. How does Lewis try to convince himself that he does not mind H.'s death? Provide examples of the things that Lewis tells himself.

6. Does Lewis believe in the idea of families reuniting on the other side? Upon what does Lewis base his conclusion?

7. In Chapter One, Lewis reflects upon marriage, religion and God. What is one thing that Lewis admits that marriage has done for him?

8. Lewis turns to C. with questions about God. How does C. respond to Lewis's thoughts?

9. How does Lewis think people react when they encounter him?

10. Lewis decided to record his reflections to get all his feelings and thoughts out. What does Lewis reflect might be a downside to his journal?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

C.S. Lewis was a religious scholar. He brought deep knowledge to his reflections on grief. He also was familiar, prior to H.'s death and certainly after she died, with religious platitudes. Write a developed essay that covers what Lewis says he will discuss about religion and how he will respond. Also discuss what Lewis will not discuss about religion and what he will assume from that particular topic. Describe why Lewis distinguishes among these topics.

Essay Topic 2

Images play important roles and relate to central ideas in Lewis's reflections. What is important about images for Lewis? In the last chapter, Lewis writes about images and reality. How does Lewis regard images? What is Lewis's example of a reality that has powerful images (icons) associated with it? What does Lewis determine is the nature of reality as it relates to images? What does all that mean for the one who grieves and wants his beloved back?

Essay Topic 3

Before H. died, what were her nearly last words to Lewis? How do those words compare with words of consolation that Lewis hears after H.'s death? Who does Lewis believe and why? If H.'s words were true, what does it mean for her continuing in God's hands? Describe Lewis's feelings about a God in whose hands Lewis sadly finds his departed wife.

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