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. How many photographs do Isobel and Charles have of their mother?

2. What does Isobel say about her size?

3. What does Isobel want to ask Audrey?

4. Why do the Baxters call their home "Sithean"?

5. Where does Gordon say Eliza is?

Short Essay Questions

1. What gets Debbie's party off to a bad start?

2. How does Isobel come to find a single, unusual shoe in Vinny's closet and what is Vinny's reaction?

3. How does Debbie explain the raw meat on the table one morning?

4. What do the neighbors think of the new baby in the Fairfax household?

5. What are the circumstances surrounding Charlotte's death?

6. Give a very brief synopsis of the Fairfax family's status over time.

7. What does Isobel write about both her and her brother's physical looks?

8. What leads to Isobel's house being infested with fleas?

9. How is Mr. Rice presented in a less-than-favorable narrative?

10. What does Isobel, the narrator at the beginning of the novel, discuss in the first part of the novel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"Human Croquet" takes place in and about London, England in the 1960s with some flashbacks to other eras.

1. How do you think the cultural milieu of a small English village informs the plot of "Human Croquet". Explain.

2. Discuss the lives of Isobel and her social group in light of the class structure in England at the time of "Human Croquet". Do you think all countries have some form of class structure? Why or why not.

3. How would the plot be impacted if the setting were in the United States at the same time period? Explain the differences.

4. How important do you think it is to understand the setting of a particularly book? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the following:

1. Thoroughly discuss the character of Isobel. What are her strengths? Weaknesses? How does she evolve over the course of the story? Is she likable at the beginning of the story? At the end of the book? Do you think she is a protagonist or antagonist? Why

2. Thoroughly discuss the character Charles. What are his strengths? Weaknesses? How does he evolve over the course of the story? (or does he?) Is he likable at the beginning of the story? At the end of the book? Is he trustworthy? Wise? Would you want him as a friend? As an enemy?

3. Thoroughly discuss two other characters of your choosing. What are their strengths? Weaknesses? How do they evolve over the course of the story? (or do they?) Are they likable at the beginning of the story? At the end of the book? Are they trustworthy? Wise? Would you want them as friends? Are they likely to be enemies?

Essay Topic 3

Often titles 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 "Human Croquet" appears several times in the book. Discuss that theme and how it is related to the title.

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

4. How do you feel when you have finished reading a book, and you still do not understand the meaning of the title in relation to the book?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,083 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample