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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 Bear get for them to eat?

2. Where does Crispin manage to lose the steward and his men?

3. What does Crispin tell Bear about Lord Furnival?

4. What worries the boy about Aycliffe's demand?

5. What do the two men talking about the boy say about the steward?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Bear make Crispin do in the morning, how does Crispin feel about it and what does Bear begin to teach Crispin?

2. How does Bear provide dinner for him and Crispin and what does Bear say about the dinner and how he feels about it?

3. How does Crispin feel about his situation, and what does Father Quinel tell him to do?

4. What does Crispin do when he sees a group of men waiting for him?

5. What does Bear tell Crispin he does in his travels?

6. What does the boy hear when he wakes?

7. Where does Crispin go the night he sees Quinel, who is there and what is he told to do? What is he given?

8. Why does Crispin go into a house, what does he see, how does he react and what does he hear as he is running away?

9. Who spots the boy in the forest and what do they do?

10. How does the boy feel about what he is told, and what does he do about it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Over the course of "Crispin: The Cross of Lead", Crispin grows as a person in both complexity and understanding. "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" might be considered a slice of Crispin's larger story of his "coming of age." It might be said that this book is a "bildungsroman" of Crispin. Discuss the following:

1. Define Bildungsroman, or "Coming of Age," and give several examples from literature you have read.

2. Trace and analyze the character of Rick as he changes from a more carefree, innocent boy to a wiser, young man. What are the significant events that change Rick?

3. After thoroughly analyzing Crispin's growth throughout "Crispin: The Cross of Lead", do you think this book could be considered Crispin's Coming of Age story? Why or why not?

4. Are there any other characters in "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" who go through a Coming of Age experience? Who? Why do you think so?

Essay Topic 2

Crispin finds it very hard to cope with his situation. As he grows more tired and hungry, he begins to lose hope. He even begins to wish that he was dead, thinking that his suffering would be over and he could see his mother again. When he sees the dead man on the gallows, however, his mind is instantly changed. He comes face to face with the horror of death and realizes how much he actually wants to be alive. He realizes that his feelings were brought on by deep sadness and fear, and that he does not really want to die at all.

1. Why do you think Crispin might wish to be dead in his situation? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Do you think someone who sees death, either in a friend or in a close brush with death is more likely to appreciate living than someone who has not confronted mortality? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Peasants in that era and location lived fairly brutal, short and difficult lives yet still continued living and having children even knowing what kind of life their children faced. Discuss why you think humans in this situation do this. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of growth in "Crispin: The Cross of Lead". Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with growth? Why? What are some symbols of growth? Symbols of rigidity? What characters seem rigid?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of courage in "Crispin: The Cross of Lead". Which characters struggle with this issue? Why? Which characters seem to possess courage? Why?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of death in "Crispin: The Cross of Lead". In addition to the theme of actual death of characters and its theme, consider in your answer the death of innocence in Crispin from the beginning of the book to the end.

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