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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 family insist David do?

2. What does David tell the woman in town that she must do with her child?

3. What does David hear that makes him think of how a balloon must feel?

4. What does David buy with his money?

5. Why does David leave the town?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe David's response to his new surroundings, and why they are so powerful.

2. Why does David decide, as he runs during his escape, to stop running and instead to walk?

3. Explain why David thinks Angelo is stupid.

4. Describe the scene with the man who loses his glasses. What does David do, what is the couple's response, and why is it disturbing for David?

5. Explain how David comes to the home of Giovanni.

6. Explain why David plunges through the thicket instead of going around it.

7. Explain how David comes to choose a God, and why.

8. Explain David's reaction to the baby.

9. Explain what the man tells David to do to escape.

10. Explain why the man on the ship does not turn David in, and how he helps him to escape.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Foreshadowing is used extensively throughout the novel to help indicate future events. Choose two examples of foreshadowing, and discuss how these examples indicate events to occur within the novel. Do you think the author uses foreshadowing effectively? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

David's relationship with God grows through the novel from being non-existent to being one of the most vital relationships in his life. Describe each stage of this relationship in detail. How does David find God? How does he choose a God? How does he pray? How does he learn about God? What promises does he make to God, and what triumphs does he attribute to God? Does God succeed, to David, in helping him?

Essay Topic 3

There are two strong female characters in the novel, Sophie and the mother of the children, Giovanni's wife. Compare and contrast these two women. How are they similar? How are they different? How do their backgrounds and lifestyles change the way the treat David? Whereas the mother originally sends David away, Sophie asks him to stay. What does this difference indicate about these two characters?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,159 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample