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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 William do in the evenings while living at Vincent Square?

2. What does William look forward to writing?

3. What does William think should be abolished?

4. What does Ted seem to be doing?

5. Where do Roy and William meet?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does William re-connect with the Driffields?

2. Describe Roy's relationship with the Traffords.

3. What is Rosie's response to William's sulkiness about Kuyper and other men?

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

5. What does William discover about Ted and his parties and how is this demonstrated by Isabel Trafford?

6. What does William think about the House of Lords and how he would assign rank within literature?

7. What does William say about Rosie's affairs and what are Amy and Roy's response?

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

9. Briefly describe how William and Rosie's relationship continues.

10. Describe Rosie's home and Rose herself.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Titles often reveal much about one or more aspects of a novel. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think is the purpose of a title? How closely related to a major theme(s) of a book do you think a title should be? Or should it be?

2. The phrase "Cakes and Ale" appears in both Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and Aesop's Fable The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse. Research these two references and discuss the connection they may have to Maugham's book.

3. If you were the writer of Cake and Ale and your editor says the title must be changed, what would you choose? Why?

Essay Topic 2

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 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)

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