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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. How does John feel when he realizes he won't make his mandatory meeting due to the weather?

2. What was Emma's first thought about the cause of the Gordons' murders?

3. What skill did Emma teach Fredric Tobin while they were dating?

4. What lie does John tell Mrs. Wiley about Beth in Chapter 17?

5. What does John think of the Murphy's house?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why didn't Margaret Wiley initially want to sell the land to the Gordons?

2. Describe the appearance of Edgar Murphy.

3. Describe the appearance of Fredric Tobin.

4. What does John learn from the library about the buried treasure in Chapter 20?

5. How does John trick Stevens into coming back to his house in Connecticut?

6. What bad news does Beth bring to John on Monday morning?

7. When John attempts to kiss Beth in Chapter 15, how does she respond?

8. When Beth and John do a quick inventory of wounds in Chapter 35, what wounds have they both sustained?

9. How does John gain entry into Tobin's place of work and apartment?

10. After the Gordons' bodies were examined, what were some clues that they were doing something manual before their deaths?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Duty is a theme throughout Plum Island. Discuss three different character's views of duty and how they are exhibited by their statements and actions. Based on these accounts of duty, does DeMille create an overarching definition of what duty is?

Essay Topic 2

Throughout Plum Island, DeMille uses imagery as a metaphor for the plot and character development. Give three specific examples of these metaphors and how they relate specific actions in the plot and/or character development. Discuss why or why not they are effective as literary tools augmenting the general action.

Essay Topic 3

The theme of the pursuit of power is central to the novel, Plum Island. Many important characters are pursuing power through wealth, position, and through knowledge. Discuss how DeMille's view on the pursuit of power is relevant to human nature and seen in society today.

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