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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. Which of the following statements does not appear in the description of Silas Lapham that Bartley Hubbard writes for his newspaper article?

2. How many daughters do Silas and Persis Lapham have?

3. Why does Penelope Lapham think Tom Corey and Irene Lapham need to spend more time alone?

4. Why does Bromfield not think Tom will stick with the paint business long?

5. What do the Lapham sisters make fun of when discussing Tom Corey at the end of Chapter Four?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why are the Laphams considered deficient in social graces?

2. In what different ways do Silas Lapham and Persis Lapham react to Bromfield Corey's visit to Silas Lapham's office?

3. What kind of girl does Bromfield Corey think his son Tom should marry, and how do the Lapham girls compare to Bromfield's ideal daughter-in-law?

4. Why does Bartley Hubbard interview Silas Lapham, and what differing views of success do Hubbard and Lapham have?

5. What do Tom Corey and his father find unusual about the beverages the Laphams drink and Mrs. Lapham's social entertaining?

6. How does Tom Corey describe the Lapham family to his mother?

7. Why does Silas Lapham decide to build a new house?

8. How does Penelope react to Tom Corey's visits in Chapter Eleven, and what does her behavior indicate?

9. Describe the Laphams' first meeting with the Corey family.

10. Describe Bromfield Corey's life and how it differs from Silas Lapham's.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Silas Lapham is the protagonist of the story, and Rogers is the antagonist of the story. Compare and contrast the characters of Lapham and Rogers. In what ways is Rogers a foil character for Lapham? Cite examples from the text to support your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

The Rise of Silas Lapham takes place in Boston in the 1880s, during America's Gilded Age, and is the story of a self-made family's attempt to enter Boston's Brahmin society. The characters live through the Civil War and see the rise of enormous industry and enormous wealth in the post-war era. Discuss how the cultural, geographical, and chronological settings affect the story and how the characters and story might differ if William Dean Howells had set the novel in England during the 1680s or in Los Angeles during the 1980s instead. Cite examples from the text to support your arguments.

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the characters of Persis Lapham, Anna Corey, and Moll Millon. Include a discussion of their role as mothers and their influence on their children's lives. Cite examples from the text to support your arguments.

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