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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. John Dowell can only recall one particular dress his wife Florence wore during their stay at Nauheim. What kind of material is this dress made out of?

2. For what reason is Captain Edward Ashburnham almost imprisoned?

3. How many children do the Ashburnhams have?

4. Which decoration does Captain Edward Ashburnham receive from the military?

5. What time of day is it when John Dowell first hears of his wife's affair with Captain Edward Ashburnham?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Part 1, Chapter 3, John Dowell recalls one particular dress his wife Florence wore during their stay at Nauheim. Describe the dress and its significance.

2. Who is responsible for Maisie Maidan's death?

3. In Part 1, Chapter 2, John Dowell recites a folktale about a she-wolf who betrays her husband for a poet. Why is John's telling of the folktale significant?

4. John Dowell supposes that Captain Edward Ashburnham eventually tired of Florence Dowell's affection. What might have caused Captain Edward Ashburnham to become tired of his affair with Florence?

5. According to John Dowell, why does Florence never tell John the truth about her sexual history?

6. Describe the Ashburnhams relationship with the Dowells and the "nine years of uninterrupted tranquility" that transpires between them.

7. Why does John Dowell laugh at Leonora Ashburnham when she says she can learn to "accept the situation" between Florence Dowell and Captain Edward Ashburnham?

8. Do you think Captain Edward Ashburnham's romantic feelings for Nancy Rufford are morally reprehensible?

9. Describe Captain Edward Ashburnham's reputation and accomplishments.

10. Describe the marriage between Leonora Ashburnham and Captain Edward Ashburnham.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast The Good Soldier's main characters: John Dowell, Florence Dowell, Leonora Ashburnham, and Nancy Rufford. Of these characters, who is the most morally righteous? Who is the most enlightened? Determine the identity of the novel's hero, or whether the novel has a hero at all. In your assessment consider the following questions: does Ford seem to sympathize with any of these characters more than the others? What qualities make one of these characters "better" than the others? Who, if anyone, does Ford believe one should model his behavior after? If Ford indeed elevates one character over all the others, what does his preference imply about the overall message of the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast The Good Soldier's two male main characters, Edward Ashburnham and John Dowell. Are either of these characters more of a "man" than the other? Of these two characters, who does Ford seem to sympathize with the most? What qualities make either of these characters more sympathetic than the other? If Ford does indeed elevate John over Edward, or vice versa , what does his preference imply about the overall message of the novel?

Essay Topic 3

It seems as though both the Dowell's marriage and the Ashburnham's marriage is dominated by women. Leonora Ashburnham is in control of both the Ashburnham estate and Edward's personal life. Florence, on the other hand, is at the center of the Dowell marriage--her illness becomes the fulcrum of their relationship as John assumes the charge of nurse and takes care of her every need. Assess the Dowell's and Ashburnham's female-dominated marriages. Does having a female head of house help, hinder or have no effect on their marriages? Does John's narration criticize dominance in women? Is Ford's portrayal of Florence and Leonora positive, negative or indifferent? What, if anything, does Ford's portrayal of Florence and Leonora say about his attitude toward dominant women?

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