View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What do Ike and Bobby decide to do?

2. With whom does Maggie Jones live?

3. What do the boys ask about the McPheron brothers?

4. What does Victoria need on her lunch break?

5. What does Crowder decide to do with Russell?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Maggie tell Victoria she has to do to make certain she is pregnant, what is the result and what does Maggie then tell Victoria she will do? What does Victoria ask Maggie?

2. What does Mrs. Stearns do with Ike and Bobby while the cookies are baking? What does she tell them?

3. What does Russell and a friend do to Ike and Bobby?

4. Where do Ike and Bobby ride their horse and why do they go there?

5. What happens when Victoria goes home after school the afternoon her mother decided Victoria was pregnant?

6. Why does Victoria visit Maggie in her classroom?

7. What do Ike and Bobby do after Russell leaves them?

8. What do the McPheron brothers do after dinner? How does Victoria's first night at their house go?

9. What does the school board chairman tell the Beckmans and how do they respond?

10. What does Victoria do when Dwayne comes home drunk at three in the morning? What does he do?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Plainsong belongs to the Post Modern genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the Post Modern genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think is the difference between a Mainstream novel and a Post Modern novel?

Essay Topic 2

Characters are an integral and important part of almost all novels. Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast the characters of Ike Guthrie and Bobby Guthrie. How are they similar? How are they different? Is there a flaw in each of their personalities? Be specific and give examples.

2. Compare/contrast the characters of Tom Guthrie and Harold McPheron. How do they seem different? Which do you like more? Why? Which one seems more of a well-rounded character?

3. Thoroughly analyze how three of the secondary characters in Plainsong help drive the plot and what their contribution is to the storyline. Are any of the secondary characters unnecessary? Indispensable? Which of the secondary characters are likable? Which are either unlikable or even despicable? Be specific and give examples.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. What is a plot? What are the most important elements of a plot and their definition? Do all novels have a plot? Why or why not?

2. Write a brief synopsis of the plot of Plainsong, identifying where the various elements of the plot occur (Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement). Do you find it difficult to identify the plot? Why or why not? What about the various elements of the plot?

3. Identify the major sub-plots and their elements (They may not contain every element of a major plot). Do the sub-plots add to the main plot? Why or why not. Are the sub-plots interesting in and of themselves? Why or why not.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,250 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample