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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. Christy tells Pegeen that his father:

2. When Pegeen and the men hear Christy's secret, they are:

3. Pegeen's formal name is:

4. The most significant conflict at the end of Act 1 is:

5. In Act 1, Pegeen is engaged to marry:

Short Essay Questions

1. What deal does the Widow Quin offer in exchange for her help with Shaun's problem?

2. What does Pegeen imagine Christy's life must have been like before she meets him?

3. What occurs between Christy and Old Mahon when the crowd arrives and learns the truth?

4. What is Pegeen's reason for refusing to help Christy escape?

5. How does the Widow try to dissuade Philly and Jimmy from following Old Mahon?

6. What does Christy discover about himself during the gaming events in the village?

7. What change occurs in Christy and Old Mahon's relationship by the end of the act?

8. Why does the Widow Quin feel she would be a better fit for Christy than Pegeen?

9. What do Shawn's reservations about staying with Pegeen before their marriage suggest about his character?

10. Why is the Widow Quin interested in getting Christy to marry her in order to help Shawn?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Consider the significance of storytelling to the events and theme of Synge's play. Write an essay in which you discuss the significance of a) Christy's story about his father; b) Shawn's story about his journey to Pegeen's place in Act 1; or c) Old Mahon's story about his son.

Essay Topic 2

Examples of characters winning and losing occur in different ways in Synge's play. Consider the motifs of winning and losing, and write an essay:

1) Qualifying any character as either "winner" or "loser" through the events of the play.

OR

2) Exploring the significance of the village games as determinants for winners and losers.

OR

3) Discuss three ways characters might "win" or "lose" over the course of the play.

Essay Topic 3

Consider how night and day affect characters and their actions in the play. Write an essay in which you:

1) Compare and contrast the events occurring at night to events occurring during the day, and arrive at a statement about the significance of each time period.

OR

2) Discuss the significance of night and day to the mood of each act.

OR

3) Compare any character's actions during Act 1, which takes place at night, to their actions in Acts 2 and 3, taking place the following day.

Be sure to use examples from the play to support your argument.

(see the answer keys)

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