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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 does Thomas' mother start doing for the Colonel?

2. What punishment does the Colonel decide to mete out?

3. What do Charlie and Thomas' mother do when the boys are caught on the Colonel's land?

4. Why is Big Joe happy about Thomas and Charlie's conspiracy concerning food at meals?

5. How many years of yesterdays and tomorrows does Thomas Peaceful have?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do Charlie and Jimmy react to being caned and what does Thomas feel about Charlie?

2. What does Thomas remember about his first day of school?

3. What happens to Bertha?

4. At the novel's opening, who is Thomas Peaceful with and why is he determined not to sleep?

5. Why is Charlie upset by the Colonels plans for Bertha and what does he do to thwart those plans?

6. At the novel's opening, what does Thomas Peaceful want to remember this night?

7. How does the boys' situation change for the better after the Colonel's wife dies?

8. How does Thomas' father die?

9. How does Big Joe feel about food and what is his favorite food?

10. What do Charlie, Thomas, and Molly do when one of the mice is caught and killed?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Michael Morpurgo.

2. What in Morpurgo's background may have helped him in writing Private Peaceful? What may have influenced the way he depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.

Essay Topic 2

Over the course of Private Peaceful, Thomas grows as a person in both complexity and understanding. Private Peaceful might be considered a slice of Thomas's larger story of his "coming of age." It might be said that Private Peaceful is a "bildungsroman" of Thomas Peaceful. Discuss the following:

1. Define Bildungsroman, or "Coming of Age," and give several examples from literature you have read.

2. Trace and analyze the character of Thomas as he changes from a more carefree, innocent boy to a wiser, young man. What are the significant events that change Thomas?

3. After thoroughly analyzing Thomas's growth throughout Private Peaceful, do you think Private Peaceful could be considered Thomas's Coming of Age story? Why or why not?

4. Are there any other characters in Private Peaceful who go through a Coming of Age experience? Who? Why do you think so?

Essay Topic 3

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

1. Compare/contrast the characters of Thomas and Charlie. 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 Charlie and the Colonel. How do they seem different? Which do you like more? Why? Which one seems a more well-rounded character?

3. Thoroughly analyze how three of the secondary characters in Private Peaceful help drive the plot and identify their contribution is to the story line. 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.

(see the answer keys)

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