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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. The letter that Aunt Josie intercepts from the postmistress in Chapter 14 informs the addressee that she has failed to do what?

2. Reading Grace Brown’s letters, Mattie discovers that Grace was what in Chapter 16?

3. What is the name of the man who checked into the hotel with Grace Brown in the novel?

4. What had Grace Brown given Mattie to burn in A Northern Light?

5. Who is the hotel manager that Grace informs about Chester Gillette’s identity in the novel?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is an example from the novel of Mattie’s tendency for romantic idealization?

2. How is the narrative of A Northern Light structured? What are the two timelines that occur in the story?

3. What book does Miss Wilcox give to Mattie in Chapter 15? What are Mattie’s impressions of the book?

4. How is the character of Aunt Josie depicted in the novel? What are Aunt Josie’s principle concerns?

5. What promise does Uncle Fifty make to Mattie after he arrives? What gifts does he give to the Gokey children?

6. Why does Mattie ask her Aunt Josie for financial help in Chapter 8?

7. Where does Mattie shop for books and other items in Chapter 6? What does she find here?

8. What parallels does Mattie make between her situation and that of Grace Brown in Chapter 10?

9. How is the character of Lawton Gokey described in the novel? How have Lawton’s actions influenced Mattie’s situation?

10. What does Mattie realize while out boating with Royal Loomis in Chapter 15? How does she feel about the realization?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the early feminist movement and the suffrage movement in the United States. When did women begin to demand the right to vote and when was the right granted? What are some examples of early feminist authors, and what were their main causes at the turn of the century? How does author Jennifer Donnelly depict this movement in the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Plot Structure

a. Discuss the plot structure of A Northern Light. In what ways is the narrative related and what effect does this have on the reader?

b. How does A Northern Light compare with other novels written during this time period? Are there specific stylistic elements that can be seen in Donnelly’s writing?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the character of Aunt Josie Aber in the novel. Is Aunt Josie related to Mattie maternally or paternally? How did Aunt Josie become wealthy? What characteristics does Aunt Josie exhibit toward her niece?

(see the answer keys)

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