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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 the narrator say is illegal?

2. Where do the tramps hide their money?

3. What does the narrator say a tramp needs?

4. For how long is the narrator staying at the spike?

5. What is likely to happen to Paddy's money if he takes it into the spike?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the character of Paddy.

2. What happens in the morning at the spike in chapter 27?

3. Why does the narrator use Croydon as an example of a good lodging house?

4. How do the people in the lodging house earn their money?

5. How is Bozo more interesting than other homeless people he has met in the book?

6. What stories does the narrator hear at the Cromley spike?

7. What kind of people live in the lodging house?

8. How do the tramps behave in the church in chapter 33?

9. Describe the narrator's first night in London?

10. Describe the sleeping conditions of a spike.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Look at the structure of the novel.

1) How does Orwell use character and dialogue to drive the narrative.

2) Discuss elements of the narrative structure: Exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the novel's themes?

3) Besides from the main character examine the way Orwell uses the other characters in the story. When does he introduce and take them away from the story? What effect does it have on the story?

Essay Topic 2

Orwell was a socialist. Using two examples from the novel discuss the ways the story reflects Orwell's political ideas.

Essay Topic 3

Down and Out in Paris and London focuses on poverty.

1) Why was poverty such an issue in 1930's Europe?

2) What problems did Orwell highlight concerning poverty?

3) What problems concerning poverty in Europe could Orwell focus on today?

(see the answer keys)

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