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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 woman say about David's spirit?

2. What does David do to explain his departure to the parents?

3. Why does the farmer decide the boy must go?

4. Who does David find he is most comfortable with?

5. What does Edith call David when she sees him?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain why David is disheartened in this chapter.

2. Explain David's conversation with God when he realizes the farmer has bolted the door, and his resulting revelation.

3. Explain the newspaper letter David reads, and why it is important to him.

4. Why does David have such difficulty understanding the young boys he has come to live with?

5. Explain what Sophie means by "someone has broken his spirit".

6. Describe the frontier post, and how David managed to avoid it.

7. Why does Giovanni's wife want David to leave?

8. Explain David's experience within the church.

9. How does David locate Edith, and what happens when he arrives?

10. Why does David hate being touched?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There are many references in the novel to the power of "them", without actual description of who "they" really are. Choose three instances where the author gives information about "them", and explain the reference in detail. What is said about "them"? What does the reference indicate about who "they" might be? How does the author use these vague descriptions to impose a feeling of unfocused dread?

Essay Topic 2

There are several instances in the book where the author uses scenery and seasons as metaphors for times within David's own life. This is particularly true in Chapter Seven, as winter gives way to spring. Explain how Anne Holm uses these seasons as metaphors for David's own life.

Essay Topic 3

Throughout the book, David shows himself to be clearly different than other boys. Pick two ways in which David is different, and discuss them in depth. What are these differences? How are they depicted in the novel? What do these differences stem from? Can David overcome them, or does he need to? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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