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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 chapter 71, Una meets ____, Kit's old girlfriend.

2. What illness strikes the little girl?

3. When asked which lighthouse she had climbed, Una answered ______.

4. How many barrels of oil were taken from the whale in chapter 66?

5. Which food is not mentioned as a staple on the boat?

Short Essay Questions

1. Discuss Una's relationships with Giles and Kit. How does Una feel about the men?

2. Describe Una's childhood and introduction to the sea.

3. Una continues to be troubled by her relationship with Kit. Explain Una wandering around in the dark.

4. Who are Kit and Giles? How do they meet Una? What brings them to Nantucket?

5. Una and Kit discuss the steps they took in order to stay alive while out at sea. What does the pair discuss?

6. Una and Giles talk about climbing the topsail and feeling like birds out over the ocean. What happens to Giles the next day? What happens to Kit?

7. Describe the scene in which Una meets Rebekkah Swain.

8. Una begins to think about her future on Nantucket. What are some of Una's thoughts?

9. Nantucket is an island that often depends on outside sources in order to function as an independent town/region. Explain how the area functions with limited supplies and resources.

10. Explain some of the issues faced by the Sussex in the storms.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Slavery was becoming a hotbed issue in the 1840s. Susan is used as an allegory for the many slaves who attempted to escape and were caught, often more than once. Discuss in detail the slavery situation in Kentucky in the 1840s. Compare the situation to the slavery issue in Massachusetts. Was there anything that could ensure a person's freedom? Give details about Susan's run for freedom as well as others. Also give the point of view of the bounty hunter that visited Una in Kentucky.

Essay Topic 2

Naslund does not tell the story in chronological order, which may or may not confuse the issue regarding Una's relationship with Ahab and the birth of Justice. Discuss the purpose of this technique. Was Naslund intent on filling in the back story or was there another purpose to using this method? Was the technique effective? Explain. Rewrite one of the passages keeping the story in chronological order to make the story line clear.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Naslund's use of Nantucket for the setting in "Ahab's Wife, or, the Star-gazer: A Novel". Why do you think Naslund chose Nantucket? How accurate do you think the setting is in regards to the real location? What areas are most commonly referenced in the story? What other location might have worked as well, if not better, than Nantucket? What is unique about the setting? What regionalisms are exhibited by Una and the rest of the characters? Explain.

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