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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. In Sonnet XXX, Neruda says that Matilde has hair as thick as what kind of tree?

2. In Sonnet XLII, what does Neruda say shields the earth from daylight?

3. In Sonnet XXVII, Neruda describes Matilde as being as simple as what object?

4. In Sonnet XXX, what is the lost object that Neruda says no one will retrieve?

5. In Sonnet XXIX, where is Matilde born?

Short Essay Questions

1. What brings night and day to Neruda in Sonnet XXXV?

2. List some examples of earth imagery Neruda uses to describe Matilde in Sonnet XXX.

3. What is Neruda's state of being before he meets Matilde in Sonnet XXV?

4. Explain how Matilde acts as a healer and protector in Sonnet XXIII.

5. In what manner does Neruda say he loves Matilde in Sonnet XVII?

6. In Sonnet XLV, what does Neruda say will happen to him if Matilde leaves?

7. What obstacles does Neruda and Matilde's love face in Sonnet XXVIII? Does their love survive?

8. What is Matilde's role in the "miniature empire" Neruda describes in Sonnet XXXVI?

9. What images does Neruda use in Sonnet XLVI to explain how he chose Matilde out of any other alternatives?

10. In Sonnet XI, Neruda is starving and is prowling for sustenance. What "food" is he looking for?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the importance of the forest in Neruda's poems. Topics one may want to consider include the forest's effect on Neruda, its role in developing Neruda and Matilde as characters, and the concepts or moods the forest symbolizes in various poems. Be sure to include specific examples from the text.

Essay Topic 2

Wood is a recurring theme in Neruda's 100 Sonnets. Analyze Neruda's usage of that motif and examine the symbolism and imagery associated with wood. Be sure to support all assertions with examples from the book.

Essay Topic 3

Many of Neruda's poems include examples of cycles or cyclical images. Examine the poet's inclusion of cycles in his poems and the importance of those cycles to the overarching themes contained in Neruda's 100 Sonnets. Use specific cycles that are found in the poems, and support all assertions with examples from the texts.

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