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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. When do the sheep begin to show up dead in Section 3?

2. Why does Asta go to Rauthsmyri in Section 3?

3. What coveted item does Brynja own?

4. What "relic of the Monopoly" does the grandmother take out on Christmas night?

5. According to Helgi and Nonni's memory, who was their mother good friends with?

Short Essay Questions

1. What impact does WWI have on Iceland, as told in Section 4?

2. What does Gvendur tell Asta Sollilja about Bjartur in Section 4, and how does she react?

3. In Conversations with the Higher Power in Section 3, what happens to Bjartur's ewes?

4. What does Bjartur say to Gvendur when Gvendur tells him he is leaving for America in Section 4?

5. In Section 3, what does Helgi say about Fritha's "prophecies"?

6. While remembering their mother in Section 3, what do the boys remember about the elves?

7. What do Bjartur and Asta Sollilja talk about in "The Right Cheek" in Section 3?

8. How is the Grandmother described at the start of Section 4?

9. Who is Brynja?

10. What big news is revealed about Asta Sollilja in Section 3?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the theme of death in the novel. What is Laxness suggesting about death and its causes?

Essay Topic 2

Is the ending happy? Use evidence from the text to justify your response.

Essay Topic 3

Analyze the relationship between Nonni and Finna. How could her death impact her youngest child?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 924 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample