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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. When does Birkin first see Kathy Ellerbeck?

2. How is the church at which Thomas Birkin arrives described?

3. Who is paying for Birkin's work in the church?

4. What does Alice Keach wear that disguises her age when she comes to visit Birkin?

5. Who is the narrator of the book?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is attached to the church? What does it contain?

2. What is Birkin's aim regarding the painting? What idea does he have of the final picture?

3. What does Birkin think about after Keach leaves in Section 1? What decisions does he come to?

4. How is the pay for uncovering the wall painting and why does Birkin accept the job at the church?

5. How do Moon and Birkin respond to each other when they first meet? What do they talk about?

6. What does Birkin think when Keach has not given him his first installment for the work on the painting? What action does he take?

7. What does Keach ask Birkin about the wall painting? How does Birkin respond?

8. What does Birkin reveal first in the painting? What meaning does he draw from this discovery?

9. Describe what Birkin sees when he first enters the church.

10. Who answers the door when Birkin visits the vicarage? What does this person talk about?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Birkin comes up with a detailed description of the painter through observations he makes as he uncovers the painting. Write an essay evaluating Birkin's claims. Do you think the observations he makes are true or more related to his desire to create a story for the painting?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay examining the influence of the war on the novel and on the individual characters.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay examining the juxtaposition of life and death in the novel. How are these two themes used? Do they get similar or different results?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 655 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample