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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. In 'Forbidden Brides...' what draws Amelia toward the house?

2. What does the ghost boy tell Runt his name is?

3. Why is the young writer upset?

4. What do the boys dare the narrator to do?

5. What explanation does the detective give for the word 'Rache' being written on the wall at the crime scene?

Short Essay Questions

1. In 'The Faery Reel,' what kind of place is fairyland?

2. What do the characters in 'Strange Little Girls' have in common?

3. Do you think the gypsy woman in 'The Flints of Memory Lane' is a ghost? Did the boy imagine it all?

4. Describe how the detective solves the mystery in 'A Study in Emerald.'

5. What do you think the three older boys in the ghost story are?

6. How do the characteristics and personalities of the months in the story 'October in the Chair' reflect the different months of the year?

7. In 'Bitter Grounds' why does the man become a demon?

8. Describe the character of the detective in 'A Study in Emerald.'

9. In the last story in 'Strange Little Girls,' two alternate stories are offered about a woman who lived during the war. Which one offers the happier ending?

10. Why do you think the narrator gives up his old life, and why does he pretend to be the professor?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author often uses storytelling with first person narrators to tell his stories and poems. In which stories and poems does he do this, and why? What effect does this create? How does it complement the story that is being told?

Essay Topic 2

Do you enjoy Neil Gaiman's writing? Justify your answer by using examples from the text. Include in your discussion the author's use of language, meaning, characterization, symbolism, and metaphor. Use at least three stories and poems from this collection in your response.

Essay Topic 3

What kinds of fragile things can be found in the stories and poems in this collection? What do they symbolize or represent? Why are they fragile, and how has the author communicated this sense of fragility?

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