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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. Who visits Tillie in prison in Book 2, Chapter 7: "This is the House That Horse Built"?

2. Solomon Soderberg perceives New York as a city that is uninterested in what, according to the narrator in Book 3, Chapter 9: "Part of the Parts"?

3. How many brothers did Gloria have growing up?

4. What is the name of Solomon Soderberg's son?

5. What are described in Book 3, Chapter 9: "Part of the Parts" as the "Two pillars of salt" that New York sees looking over its shoulder?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is significant about the cases presented in Book 3, Chapter 9: “Part of the Parts”?

2. How does Tillie Henderson describe her past and what led her to prostitution?

3. Who is the protagonist of Book 3, Chapter 11: “All Hail and Hallelujah”? Where was this character first introduced?

4. How are the sights and sounds described during the walker’s World Trade Center stunt in Book 2, Chapter 8: “The Ringing Grooves of Change”?

5. How is the protagonist’s meeting with Ciaran described in Book 4, Chapter 12: “Roaring Seaward, And I Go”?

6. How are Adelita’s first impressions of Corrigan described in Book 3, Chapter 10: “Centavos”?

7. How is the protagonist’s family described in Book 4, Chapter 12: “Roaring Seaward, And I Go”?

8. What impact has Corrigan’s death had on Adelita’s perceptions of their relationship in Book 3, Chapter 10: “Centavos”?

9. What internal conflict does Corrigan battle in Book 3, Chapter 10: “Centavos”?

10. How is the walker’s moment of silence described in Book 2, Chapter 8: “The Ringing Grooves of Change”?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the metaphors and symbolism surrounding the tightrope walker in the novel. What central feat does the walker perform? Why does he perform this stunt? How does this performance impact the lives of the main characters in the story?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze and discuss the character of Fernando Yunque Marcano in Let the Great World Spin. Whom do you think this character is based upon? Why do you think the author chooses to relate Fernando’s story? How does Fernando’s story relate to the other characters in the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the themes of interconnectedness and the persistence of life in Let the Great World Spin. How are these themes developed through character, setting, symbolism, and imagery? How does the author reflect these themes through other stylistic choices in the novel?

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