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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. Who is Mrs. Hudson?

2. What does William learn from Newton one day?

3. What does Ted next write?

4. Who does William meet through the Driffields?

5. Why is William bitter?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Ted buy the house he buys and what does Amy do despite Ted fighting her about it?

2. Describe Isabel Trafford.

3. Describe Roy's relationship with the Traffords.

4. What novel does Ted publish which is a ruthlessly unsentimental tale dealing with a child's death, and what is the public's response to the novel?

5. How do Rosie and William begin a romantic involvement?

6. Describe Ted's response to the fact that Rosie leaves him.

7. What does Rosie do at night while Ted writes?

8. What is said about Rosie as William, Amy and Roy look at photographs?

9. Describe the scene where William is talking to Hillier about painting Rosie.

10. How does William describe his visit to his former quarters and his landlady, Mrs. Hudson?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Mrs. Encombe is Blackstable's first liberated New Woman--she wears her hair short and her skirt barely covers the top of her boots. People are intimidated by her intellect and joke nervously about her. Discuss the following:

1. Trace and analyze how women are viewed in Cakes and Ale. Does it seem a woman is either a saint or whore? Is this the view of the author or the culture? Or both?

2. Why do you think Rosie is treated sympathetically in Cakes and Ale by the narrator?

3. How does Ted treat Rosie? Does he respect her? Does he care that she violates social convention?

4. Why is Mrs. Encombe viewed askance? Would she be looked at the same way today?

Essay Topic 3

Mrs. Greencourt holds a tea party attended by Mrs. Encombe, Blackstable's first "New Woman." She leads the discussion of novels that the Vicar advocates burning but some of the ladies admit enjoying. The group concludes that literature ought not deal with the vicious aspects of society. Discuss the following:

1. Describe and analyze the discussions at the tea party at Mrs. Greencourt. What is said about literature? Do you agree? Why do you think the participants say this? Do you think they agree or are afraid to be branded as coarse themselves?

2. Many of the ladies admit enjoying some of the novels that the Vicar advocates burning. Research and discuss how novels are evaluated in the mid to late Victorian era. How has the attitude towards novels changed today?

3. Discuss the idea that literature ought not deal with the vicious aspects of society. Do you agree? Why or why not? Do you think the literature of today has gone too far as to what novels will include? Why or why not.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,543 words (approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample