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. With what subject does Edward become obsessed during the summer he meets Florence?

2. What does the narrator describe as the result of Florence's infrequent episodes of showing affection to her father Geoffrey?

3. What does Edward do with Florence's hand in the movie theater that causes Florence to leap out of her seat?

4. What does the narrator name as Edward's main activity during the weekends in his college years?

5. Under what type of tree does Edward always read in order to stay out of his mother's reach during his visits home?

Short Essay Questions

1. What phenomenon does Florence witness when it comes to girls her age getting boyfriends and how does her realization shape her behavior?

2. How is the theme of misunderstanding portrayed within the narrator's explanation of Edward's mistaking Florence's shyness "for a form of coyness" (25)?

3. What is the significance of Florence's feelings about the word "penetration"? (8)

4. What is the author's purpose for including the detail that on the cover of Florence's paperback guide for brides is "portrayed two smiling bug-eyed matchstick figures holding hands, drawn clumsily in white chalk, as though by an innocent child" (12)?

5. What is the sole location that Florence and Edward determine is the only instance when they were in the same place at the same time before meeting?

6. How is irony employed within the narrator's description of the moment Edward asks Florence to marry him?

7. How does Florence describe her mother Violet's use of physical affection?

8. For what reasons does Florence say it is harder for her to contradict her father, Geoffrey, than it is for her to contradict her mother Violet?

9. What does the television set symbolize within the narrative?

10. What is the author's purpose for using an allusion to the silverware collection in "the Ashmolean" (68) and how does this choice relate to a larger theme within the novella?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the novella On Chesil Beach from an Existential perspective. What elements of life does it suggest hold the most meaning and why?

Essay Topic 2

What is the function of Marjorie's character within the novella? Discuss the characterization methods used by the author in depicting Marjorie and include in your discussion the reasons that the author portrays her in these particular ways.

Essay Topic 3

Analyze Edward's feelings about Chesil Beach relayed by the narrator within the narrative's final pages. What message is the author sending about a textual theme of your choice?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,746 words (approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample