Print
Word
PDF
|
| Name: _________________________ | Period: ___________________ |
This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.
Short Answer Questions
1. What is one of Dillard's main occupations in the winter?
2. What does Dillard say can be as blinding as complete darkness?
3. How long can a horsehair worm grow?
4. She claims the ability to see what is hidden is what?
5. What does Dillard believe is healing?
Short Essay Questions
1. How does Dillard tie in Moses with her observations at Tinker Creek?
2. The Pilgrim at Tinker Creek is, on the surface, a stream of consciousness journey through the natural world around Tinker Creek. What does "stream of consciousness" writing entail? In your answer address plot, characterization and theme.
3. In Chapter 11, Dillard is mimicking a group of people. Who is she mimicking and why? How do you know this?
4. What does Dillard mean by the phase, "sinking into her center?" How does she use this technique?
5. Dillard believes that the death of the self is painless. What might she mean by this?
6. Part of Dillard's struggle in her observation of the natural world is how much violence she seems to encounter. How does she relate this to the Hebrew altar?
7. Why do you think this chapter could have been titled "Potential?"
8. Why do you think the story about the coot might be significant?
9. Dillard spends the entire chapter dealing with the passing of a hurricane. How does the theme of "floods" relate to other parts of the book?
10. In the second section of Chapter 11, Dillard stays almost exclusively focused on one topic, seldom straying. Why do you think she is staying so focused?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
One day while hiking, Dillard comes upon a coot, a water bird, notorious for its shyness. Dillard spends a great deal of space writing about her encounter with the coot. Describe the encounter and what Dillard thinks she learned from it.
Essay Topic 2
In the final chapter of the book, the reader can see that in attempting to understand the natural world, the author is attempting to understand its creator. How does Dillard blend her observations of the natural world with what becomes of her beliefs in a creator? Use some of her writing to illustrate your ideas.
Essay Topic 3
How does Dillard feel about harming creatures? What are some of the incidents from her childhood that helped formed these ideas? Do you agree with her? Why or why not?
|
This section contains 1,141 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
|
