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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 does Jessie not believe the man who says he does not want to be involved in the slave trade?

2. What did Purvis say to calm Jessie's fears about his mother?

3. What is Jessie taken away in?

4. What does Spark do when Sharkey gets drunk?

5. Where is Purvis originally from?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Stout try to do to make Jessie feel better after Purvis's punishment, and how is this received?

2. What helped Jessie get to shore after the ship sunk?

3. What causes the awful smell on the ship?

4. What does Purvis tell Jessie about the ship's cook?

5. What does the Captain do as they near Cuba, and why?

6. How did Gardere die?

7. What does Jessie worry about when he thinks of his family?

8. What does the Captain give Jessie for guessing about the contents of the chest?

9. What do Jessie and Ras do during the day while they are with Daniel?

10. How does Jessie describe his swim to shore?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Symbolism is a very prevalent literary device used by Paula Fox. What are some of these symbols, and how does their presence affect the course of the plot?

Essay Topic 2

Much of this plot follows the relationship between Jessie and Purvis. How does this relationship change over the course of the plot, and what causes these changes?

Essay Topic 3

The pursuit of happiness was a common theme found in this book. What parts of the plot embodied this theme, and how did that pursuit affect the characters involved?

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