View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Talia do as the wives' attention is diverted?

2. Who is playing the instrument?

3. What makes Talia feel as though she can do nothing right?

4. What does the young girl who enters Talia's room claim?

5. What is another name for Heralds?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the older woman who came into Talia's room do and say and what does Talia tell the woman?

2. What is Elcarth's position in the palace, what does he notice about Talia's personality and her knowledge?

3. What is Teren's expectation about Talia's response to the note and is he correct?

4. What is Talia's social life like in her holding?

5. Why does Elcarth have to leave Talia's tour?

6. Who are Blues and what do most of the Heralds think of them?

7. Why do most of the students go home, and why doesn't Talia do the same?

8. What does Elcarth show Talia and what room most excites her?

9. What is Talia amazed to see at the next town she and Rolan come to and what is she told to do?

10. How does Talia know where to go when she leaves with the Companion and where is the first place they stop?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss one of the following:

1. Sherrill approaches Talia before leaving on Herald business to explain to Talia about sex and birth control. It is obvious that the sexual mores of the Heralds is more liberal than those in which Talia is raised. Do you think Talia will change her sexual mores eventually? Why? Do most people discard beliefs in which they are raised if they begin living in a community with different beliefs? What do you think this says about beliefs?

2. Ylsa and Keren are two women who are lovers. Though few people in the community live a homosexual lifestyle, the women are accepted for who they are and are not condemned. Do you believe they should be accepted for who they are? Discuss their life as Heralds, which is similar to being soldiers, in light of the current debate about gays serving openly in the military.

3. As Talia grows and matures, her beliefs about many things change. Discuss Talia's changing in light of your own life as you left home and meet other people who thought differently from your own community.

Essay Topic 2

Arrows of the Queen could be said to be a "bildungsroman" of Talia, the main character. Discuss the following:

1. Define the concepts "bildungsroman" and "coming of age."

2. Thoroughly trace and analyze Arrows of the Queen as a bildungsroman of Talia. Give specific examples. What does Talia learn? How has she changed? Is the change for the better?

3. Thoroughly trace and analyze Arrows of the Queen as a coming of age story for Elspeth. Give specific examples. What does Elspeth learn? How has she changed? Is the change for the better?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

Trace and analyze the theme of power throughout Arrows of the Queen. Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with power? Why? What are some symbols of power? Symbols of powerlessness? What characters seem powerless?

Trace and analyze the theme of magic throughout Arrows of the Queen. What characters are most concerned with magic? Why? What are some symbols of magic? How does a Herald's gift give an automatic advantage to someone over another who has no gifts? Is there abuse of this ability? Do you think the fact that Heralds are gifted creates resentment among the non-gifted populace?

Trace and analyze the theme of evil throughoutArrows of the Queen. What characters are what you would call evil? Why? What are some symbols of evil? Symbols of good? Are more characters evil than good or vice versa? Do you think in general there is less evil than good in Arrows of the Queen?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,231 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample