View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What comment by Noah catches Bethia's attention?

2. What does Bethia experience after the action that Satan supposedly prompted?

3. What does Bethia's name mean?

4. What does Caleb tell Bethia when her father and Makepeace go out to wash their hands?

5. What does Bethia say she often does?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to Bethia's sister Solace?

2. What is Bethia listening to as she lies in her bed?

3. What happens when a whale strands itself on the beach and how does Bethia feel about the situation?

4. How does the first attempt at the conversion of the sonquem go and what changes that?

5. How does Caleb explain his early morning greeting to the sun god?

6. What does Tequamuck do as Mayfield prepares to leave for England, and what do some believe is the result of Tequamuck's actions?

7. What happens that evening after Caleb ends his friendship with Bethia that makes Bethia believe she contributes to her mother's death?

8. What does Bethia's say is her current situation when this section opens and why is she going to continue writing?

9. When and how does Bethia's father introduce Caleb to the White settlement?

10. What happens when Bethia returns to where the Wampanoag are dancing?

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 Caleb's Crossing based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if Caleb's Crossing is a successful novel.

3. Do you think the criteria for a successful novel should be different if it is written for adults versus young adults? Why or why not? Would most adults consider Caleb's Crossing a successful novel? What about young teens?

Essay Topic 2

Characters are an integral and important part of almost all novels. Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast the characters of Bethia and Caleb. How are they similar? How are they different? Is there a flaw in each of their personalities? Be specific and give examples.

2. Compare/contrast the characters of Caleb and Joel. How do they seem different? Which do you like more? Why? Which one seems more of a well-rounded character?

3. Thoroughly analyze how three of the secondary characters in Caleb's Crossing help drive the plot and what their contribution is to the storyline. Are any of the secondary characters unnecessary? Indispensable? Which of the secondary characters are likable? Which are either unlikable or even despicable? Be specific and give examples.

Essay Topic 3

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think Caleb's Crossing is? Explain your response.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,170 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample