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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 does Makepeace believe about Solace?

2. What does Bethia choose not to fear?

3. When did Anne's parents die?

4. What does Samuel bring to his first meeting with Bethia?

5. Who is John Harvard?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the time frame when Chapter 1 of this section opens and why is Bethia writing again?

2. What is Smauel Corlett like?

3. Why are arrangements made for Joel to return to Cambridge before the others from the island?

4. What does Bethia say about her marriage to Samuel and their trip to Italy?

5. What is surprising about Mayfield's will?

6. Why is Bethia relieved when they board a vesself for Cambridge, and how is her first day there?

7. Why is Samuel's marriage proposal to Bethia interrupted, and what how does Bethia handle the situation.

8. What does Bethia say to Corlett about applying for a position at another school and what is his response?

9. How has Makepeace arranged to buy Bethia out of her indenture?

10. Describe a little about Anne's life.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

1. What is foreshadow? How many incidences of foreshadow are in Caleb's Crossing? How does foreshadow contribute to a book's suspense?

2. Discuss an example of foreshadow in Caleb's Crossing including why you believe it is foreshadow. Include examples from the book and your own life to illustrate your answer.

3. How do you think most people react to uncertainty in their lives? Use examples from Caleb's Crossing and your own live to support your opinion.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of growth in Caleb's Crossing. Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with growth? Why? What are some symbols of growth? Symbols of rigidity? What characters seem rigid?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of culture and religion in Caleb's Crossing. Which characters struggle with this issue? Why? Which characters seem to be able to meld their culture and their religion? What about how religion influences culture?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of death in Caleb's Crossing. What types of deaths besides physical are portrayed in Caleb's Crossing? How does death change the lives of the characters, especially Bethia?

4. Trace and analyze the theme of sin and redemption in Caleb's Crossing. Who believes sin is real? Who does not? How does sin in a character's beliefs coincide with guilt? What characters considers herself/himself sinful?

Essay Topic 3

Caleb's Crossing belongs to the historical novel genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the historical novel genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think is the difference between a historical novel and a fantasy?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,053 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample