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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 is the name of Solomon Soderberg's son?

2. Who is the man that said he was grooming Tillie when she was thirteen?

3. Where does Pino say he's just moved in Book 4, Chapter 12: "Roaring Seaward, And I Go"?

4. Who informs Solomon about the tightrope walker in Book 3, Chapter 9: "Part of the Parts"?

5. About how old was Jazzlyn when Tillie left her in her mother's care?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Who is the protagonist of Book 3, Chapter 9: “Part of the Parts”? Where was this character previously introduced?

3. What is the protagonist’s destination in Book 4, Chapter 12: “Roaring Seaward, And I Go”? Why is she going to this destination?

4. How would you describe the narrative style of Book 2, Chapter 7: “This is the House That Horse Built”?

5. How does the protagonist perceive the behaviors of the women at the meeting in Book 3, Chapter 11: “All Hail and Hallelujah”?

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

7. Who visits the prison in Book 2, Chapter 7: “This is the House That Horse Built”? Why?

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

9. Who is the protagonist of Book 4, Chapter 12: “Roaring Seaward, And I Go”? How would you describe the narrative style of this chapter?

10. 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”?

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

Describe and discuss the character of Claire Soderberg in Let the Great World Spin. What is Claire doing when her character is introduced? What are Claire’s central conflicts in the narrative? How does the language in Claire’s chapter reflect upon her mental state?

Essay Topic 3

What is the meaning of the title of Book 2, Chapter 7: “This is the House That Horse Built”? How do the chapter titles vary in Let the Great World Spin? In what ways are the chapter titles in the book reflective of the story’s protagonists? What does “Horse” refer to?

(see the answer keys)

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