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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. The Young Woman does not speak ________.

2. The Sergeant enters the Visitors Room at the end of Act 2, asking "What _____?"

3. What is at the Old Woman's feet as she waits at the prison wall?

4. Why is the Officer so irritated at the beginning of Act 1?

5. What is the primary emotion in the old Woman and the Prisoner's conversation?

Short Essay Questions

1. Does Sarah care about her husband?

2. Does the Old Woman follow the new rule in Act 4?

3. Why do the Old Woman and her son have the opportunity to talk?

4. Why are the women's husbands in prison? How can you infer this?

5. Who is Joseph Dokes?

6. What is the Young Woman's first complaint to the Officer?

7. In Act 4, why is the Old Woman still silent?

8. How does the Sergeant describe the gathering at the beginning of Act 3? Why?

9. What is the guard's attitude toward the Old Woman and her son?

10. Is the guard passive?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There are elements of the setting (both time and physical) that are very concrete or very abstract. Discuss this use of ambiguous setting to develop an explanation Pinter's goal in using this type of setting.

Essay Topic 2

Language among the characters is a key tool. The officers use curse words to intimidate the women, while the women are forbidden to speak mountain language. Discuss the dilemma that language use brings to the play and its significance.

Essay Topic 3

Although these women are faithful to the men in their families, the men are the helpless ones and, comparatively, they have all the authority. Discuss the ruptured nature of the patriarchal family system in Mountain Language.

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