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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 Ashenden say about the first Mrs. Driffield?
2. With whom does Ted's companion Rosie carry on at one time?
3. What does William agree to jot down?
4. What do intelligent people cease to do after age 30?
5. What does William think is the reason Rosie sees Kemp?
Short Essay Questions
1. Describe Ted Driffield.
2. Describe Quinten Forde.
3. Describe Roy Kear.
4. How does William act for a while around the Driffields after seeing Rosie with Kemp?
5. What happens when William comes home for Easter Break and what surprising announcement does the Vicar make?
6. What does William express about the concept of beauty?
7. Describe Mary-Ann.
8. How does William initially meet Rosie?
9. How does Ashenden characterize Alroy Kear's writing career?
10. How does William link Ted's advancing age with his success?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Discuss the following:
1. What do you think are the characteristics of a successful novel?
2. Analyze and discuss Cakes and Ale based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if Cakes and Ale is a successful novel.
3. Do you think the fact that Cakes and Ale may be based upon a real-life experience of the author changes the criteria upon which its success should be judged? Explain.
Essay Topic 2
Though Somerset Maugham denies it, many literary critics and readers think there is a clear resemblance of Ted Driffield to the real-life Thomas Hardy and Roy Kear to Hugh Walpole. Some even say that the narrator, William Ashenden represents Somerset Maugham. Discuss the following:
1. Research the French phrase roman à clef or roman à clé and discuss how that term is applicable to Cakes and Ale.
2. Research the author Thomas Hardy and compare his life to that of Ted Driffield. How are the similar? How are they different? Are the similarities enough to warrant the belief that Roy Kear represents Walpole?
Does Hardy seem to have a Rosie, Amy, or Isabel in his life? What details about Hardy's life that you uncover seem to be the same as what is written about Driffield?
3. Research the author Hugh Walpole and compare his life to that of Roy Kear. How are the similar? How are they different? In what ways to their personalities seem similar? Are the similarities enough to warrant the belief that Roy Kear represents Walpole?
4. Research the author Somerset Maugham and compare his life to that of William Ashenden. How are they similar? How are they different? In what ways to their personalities seem similar? Are the similarities enough to warrant the belief that William Ashenden represents Maugham?
Essay Topic 3
Though in some ways, William is merely an observer and the story teller, Cakes and Ale might be considered a Bildungsroman, or Coming of Age story with William as the hero. Discuss the following:
1. Define Bildungsroman and give several examples from literature you have read.
2. Trace and analyze the character of William as he grows from a youth to an older man. Is he likeable? Sympathetic? What are his strengths and weaknesses? Do those strengths and weaknesses change as he ages? How does William change as he ages?
3. After thoroughly analyzing William's character, do you think Cakes and Ale could be considered Williams Coming of Age story? Why or why not?
4. Are there any other characters in Cakes and Ale who go through a Coming of Age experience? Who? Why do you think so?
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This section contains 1,735 words (approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page) |
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