View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who does Forster say is a character type that is seen in many Henry James novels?

2. What is the setting of The Ambassadors?

3. What does Forster say is absolutely essential to a plot?

4. A plot requires a reader's intelligence and __________.

5. Who is the author of Moby Dick?

Short Essay Questions

1. What two qualities does Forster believe the aspect of prophecy demands from a reader?

2. What does Forster mean when he describes a novel with a grand chain pattern?

3. Why does Forster say that some authors are suited to writing parody or adaptations?

4. What is Forster's opinion of readers who do not like fantasy?

5. What are the two basic elements that Forster comes back to again and again throughout the lecture series?

6. Why does Forster say that novelist Thomas Hardy is essentially a poet?

7. What does Forster say that the fantasy aspect of a novel requires from the reader?

8. How does Forster define prophecy in terms of fiction?

9. What role does the setting play in novels by Henry James?

10. How does Forster define plot?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the six authors Forster quotes to illustrate the futility of studying works of literature in terms of chronology.

Essay Topic 2

What does Forster think about the motto "History develops, Art stands still"? How does he come back to that in the conclusion of his lecture series?

Essay Topic 3

How does the development of the novel represent development in mankind? Do you agree with Forster's contention on this point? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 608 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample