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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 Mabel decide to do about her children's education?

2. Why does Mabel travel here?

3. Why does the couple move into the Bank House?

4. The second language was Sindarin, which was reminiscent of _________, Tolkien's second favorite language.

5. Ronald managed to fit in with the help of some fellow ___________.

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Tolkien create with Eric Valentine Gordon?

2. Why is Mabel worried about providing for her children?

3. How do both Mabel and Arthur feel about returning to England?

4. What did Tolkien do when he returned to Oxford?

5. What is odd about the Bloemfontein home?

6. Why is Arthur Tolkien in South Africa?

7. What did G.B. Smith's words, "May you say the things I have tried to say long after I am not there to say them," do for Ronald?

8. What does Ronald do without Edith in his life?

9. Why is Ronald allowed to contact Edith? What did Ronald learn about Edith?

10. Why did Edith live away from Ronald for a period of time?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Tolkien was a perfectionist in many ways.

Part 1) Describe Tolkien's creative process. How does this reinforce his perfectionist tendencies? Is he a perfectionist outside of his work? Why or why not?

Part 2) How did he perfectionist behavior affect others, such as his family, friends, and publishers?

Part 3) How did his desire for perfection add challenges to the process of creating and publishing his work? How did it also benefit him in the long run? Should he have been such a perfectionist? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

By and large, Edith was unhappy when Ronald was immersed in his work at Oxford.

Part 1) Why does this unhappiness occur? How does Edith deal with this unhappiness? What does this reveal about her?

Part 2) How does her early life with Ronald compare to her life throughout their marriage? What role does Ronald play in her unhappiness? Is he entirely to blame? Why or why not?

Part 3) Should they have married? Why or why not? Would they have still married if they had known their marriage would be as it was? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

The story of THE HOBBIT is based on Tolkien's life.

Part 1) Describe THE HOBBIT. How is it based on Tolkien?

Part 2) Why does Tolkien use himself and his life when creating his work? How is Tolkien's life, personality, and character found in his other work?

Part 3) What aspects of your own life and character would you incorporate into a story? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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