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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 primary emotion in the old Woman and the Prisoner's conversation?

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

3. What does the guard instruct the Prisoner to tell the Old Woman to do?

4. What defines the set direction for Act 1?

5. As the Sergeant hassles the Young Woman in Act 1, the Officer reminds him that these women are not _________.

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Act 3 reflect Act 2?

2. What is the Old Woman and her son's relationship like?

3. Where is Sarah Johnson during Act 2?

4. Does Sarah care about her husband?

5. Although the women have not committed a crime, what is their "crime?"

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

7. What is the attitude of "the capital?"

8. Why does Sarah Johnson look like an "intellectual?"

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Discuss the strategy of truth and insincerity in Mountain Language. Discuss how it directs the play and how one is misconstrued for the other, adding another layer of obscurity in people's honesty.

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