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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. Why did Widow Hallahan choose Isabel to work in the tavern?

2. How many soldiers did Isabel and Ruth have to care for in Curzon's company?

3. Why did Ruth slap Isabel?

4. Why did Ruth learn all of the army companies' flags?

5. Why did Isabel tell Ruth that she had ruined everything?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why was the British soldier in the woods deserting his army?

2. How did Isabel's narration during her fake kiss with Curzon indicate that she may have had romantic feelings towards him?

3. What did Isabel mean when she said, "I am my own army" (126)?

4. Why did Isabel not tell Ruth the truth about Aberdeen?

5. Why did Isabel say that her purpose was to find Ruth some gingerbread?

6. Why did Isabel decide that she and Ruth could not travel with the women of the army?

7. Why did Isabel think that Ruth burned the free papers?

8. Why did Isabel believe it was foolish for Curzon to support the Patriots?

9. How did Isabel's feelings towards Aberdeen change by the time she encountered him hiding in the bushes?

10. What did Isabel mean when she said, "We had been forced back into war for our liberty" (151)?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The resolution of Ashes is hopeful but still realistic. Write an essay that describes how the events in this last section of the book drive the plot towards a resolution of this nature, and theorize what messages Anderson hopes to send by ending the book in this way.

Essay Topic 2

Isabel often jumps to conclusions about what people are thinking based on their actions. Write an essay describing some situations in which she does this and explaining how it affects the way she interacts with her companions.

Essay Topic 3

Any novel set during a war is obviously rife with external conflict. But characters in Ashes all experience internal conflict as well. Choose three characters from Ashes and analyze one major internal conflict, as well as one major external conflict, that each one faces. Which conflict affects each character most?

(see the answer keys)

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