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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 Barabbas do before everyone leaves the low-vaulted room?

2. Why doesn't Barabbas believe that the man on the cross is the Messiah?

3. What explanation did the the red-bearded man give for the crucifixion?

4. What do the believers begin to call Barabbas after he returns from his visit to the village on the mountain?

5. How do the Christians react to Barabbas' presence?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Barabbas' appearance.

2. What does Barabbas notice about the people in Jerusalem the day after the crucifixion?

3. Describe the hare-lipped girl's meeting with Jesus.

4. What do Barabbas and the characters at the fat woman's house discuss?

5. What happens during the Christians' meeting in the low-vaulted room?

6. Describe hare-lipped girl's actions and thoughts on the resurrection morning.

7. What statement does the fat woman make that offends the hare-lipped girl?

8. Why does Barabbas feel he has a stronger bond with Jesus than the Christians?

9. Why does Barabbas leave the red-beaded man?

10. Describe Jesus as Barabbas sees him.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Other than death, what purpose did crucifixion serve in the first century? How did it affect members of society? What effect did it have on the characters in the novel? What link might be evident among all the crucifixions reported in the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Barabbas last words, "to thee I deliver up my soul," are not explained by the author. What might be the implications of these words?

1. Who might Barabbas be speaking to and why?

2. What might these words foreshadow for Barabbas's eternal future and why?

3. Why might Barabbas have spoken this particular phrase and how does it relate to his life story as told in the novel?

Essay Topic 3

What is the Christian philosophy that the hare-lipped girl describes to Barabbas? How does that philosophy affect her life and the lives of the other Christians? How does it affect Barabbas's life? How does the behavior of the Christians in Jerusalem affect Barabbas's view of their philosophy?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 760 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample