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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. What does Vetch insist on doing?

2. About whom does Ged constantly ask?

3. Where does Vetch find Ged after he has fought the shadow?

4. What feature does Skiorh lack?

5. Where do Ged and Vetch travel to after the fight?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do you think chasing the shadow takes away some of its power?

2. How does Ged's reaction to the town's celebration show a change in his character?

3. How does Ged realize the Shadow's name?

4. Has Ged completed a full circle of his life?

5. Why does Ged seek security at Roke and not in his hometown in Gont?

6. How does Ged's meeting with Serret show a coming of age?

7. How does Ged know he is going in the right direction?

8. How is it important to the story that Ged's mother died during his early childhood?

9. What do the sightings of a man looking like Ged say about the Shadow?

10. How is the couple's refusal to leave the island comparative to Ged's need to move on?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Wizard of Earthsea is a fantasy novel with many of the conventions you would associate with the fantasy genre.

1) Discuss what you already know about the fantasy genre. What do you think are the conventions of a fantasy book in terms of structure, characters and themes?

2) What kind of fantasy book is Wizard of Earthsea? What conventions does it use from the genre? Does it take anything from any other genre? Does Le Guin subvert any of the fantasy genres conventions?

Essay Topic 2

Pick one of the following themes from the story and discuss how it contributes to the story's meaning.

1) Pride.

2) Coming of Age

3) Friendship

Essay Topic 3

In the novel, Ged has two choices--join the dark side or join the good side.

1) Who represents the good and dark sides in each part of the novel? What is each side working towards? Is Ged ever tempted to join the dark side?

2) Why do you think the Shadow appears? Does Le Guin foreshadow its presence? Is so, how?

3) What is it about Ged's character and upbringing that means he has to fight and defeat his darkside? Why do none of the other characters seem to have a similar problem?

(see the answer keys)

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