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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 occurs in Fairfax Manor in 1582?

2. Who is Debbie?

3. What is Francis Fairfax's main occupation?

4. What is Lady Fairfax known to do?

5. What does Isobel find when searching Vinny's wardrobe?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Francis Fairfax give his new wife and what happens to the present?

2. What does Isobel observe on a visit to the Baxters in autumn?

3. How does Vinny treat the children?

4. Describe how Charles and Isobel are born.

5. How do Isobel and Charles find their mother and what do they do?

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

7. Describe the interaction between Gordon and his two young children after Gordon returns from the woods.

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

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

10. How do Charlotte and Vinny treat Eliza and what is her response?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"Human Croquet" ends on a somewhat positive note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many (most?) people want what they perceive as a happy or good ending to a novel? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why? not?

2. What are at least three reasons to read fiction? Discuss each one in light of "Human Croquet" and if it fulfills some or all of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why "Human Croquet" is or is not successful in fulfilling the reasons you discuss.

3. Do you think reading solely for entertainment is as good a reason to read as any other? Why or why not? Can any work of fiction or non-fiction, no matter how poorly written, enlighten, teach, stimulate thought? Why or why not?

4. Would you have wished the ending to be different? Why or why not? Would that have changed what the author wished to convey with the book?

Essay Topic 2

Many books are often made into a movie based upon the book. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think you would enjoy watching a film based upon "Human Croquet"? Why or why not?

2. Do you think the subject matter would be more difficult or easier to portray in film versus in the book? Explain your reasoning.

3. Would you allow your high school-aged son or daughter (imagining you have one) to view the film? Explain your answer.

4. How do you think the movie would differ from the book? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of growth in "Human Croquet". 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 individual freedom in the story. Which characters struggle with this issue? Why? Which characters seem to possess individual freedom? Why? Why is individual freedom more difficult to obtain for some characters than other ones?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of abuse in "Human Croquet". Which characters are abusive to others, either physically, sexually or emotionally? Which are being abused? What is the response to the abuse of the ones being abused? Why do you think each of the abusers do so?

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