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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. From whom does Ashenden ignore telephone messages?

2. With whom has Kear just spent a weekend?

3. Who tells William of the Driffield's background?

4. At what age is Ashenden when he first meets Driffield?

5. What does William's uncle forbid?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Mrs. Greencourt's tea party, particularly the conversation about the Driffields and literature.

2. What does William think about on his way home from the lunch with Kear?

3. How does Ted know the Kemp family and what does he think of them?

4. What does Ashenden ignore but still wonder about?

5. What does William think about Ted's depiction of the high-born and others comparing Ted s to Shakespeare?

6. Briefly describe William's interaction with Ted and Rosie when he is a youth.

7. Describe Mary-Ann.

8. How does William initially meet Rosie?

9. How does William act for a while around the Driffields after seeing Rosie with Kemp?

10. What does Lady Hodmarsh say about Amy Driffield?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In chapter 7, William wonders why the adult Driffields bother with a dull, quiet, and pretentious adolescent but they take him sailing and picnicking and William becomes passionate about rubbing brasses and occasionally spends time in the church yard talking with Rosie who treats him like a grown-up. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think William's aunt and uncle have a right to fear the influence of Ted and Rosie? Why or why not?

2. William says he becomes passionate about rubbing brasses, which is a pastime Ted introduces to William. What does this say about William's impressionistic nature? Is William easily influenced as a youth? What about as an adult when conferring with Amy and Roy?

3. Do you think having one or two adults outside the family involved in a young person's life makes a difference for that person? How? Is this a positive thing? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

In Chapter 5, Gossipy maid Mary-Ann fills young William in on the Driffields' history. Discuss the following:

1. What is ironic about Mary-Ann gossiping about someone else being immoral? Research what both the Jewish Torah and the Christian New Testament says about gossip and slander.

2. What is hypocritical about Mary-Ann gossiping about someone else being immoral?

3. Do you think it is moral for Mary-Ann to be telling a youth the information she gives William? Why or why not?

4. William interprets the information from Mary-Ann through the lens of his reading novels that deals with such topics. What does this say about William's worldly experiences? His being ready to hear what Mary-Ann says?

Essay Topic 3

William Ashenden is the narrator of the novel, which Maugham chooses to write the novel from the first-person point of view. Discuss the following:

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this novel being written in the first person?

2. Do you think the novel would be more effective in a different point of view? Which one if so? Why not if you think the first person works the best?

3. If the narrator is actually the author, much of what is written are real events witnessed by the author. Then does the first person make sense from that perspective? What if the book was truly fiction with no ties to "real" people, does the first-person point of view still seem like the best choice? Why or why not.

(see the answer keys)

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