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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. Why does Grandma Wolf ask an animal charmer from the village come to the house once?

2. Of what does the thing hanging from the fence remind Thomas?

3. How does Thomas feel towards Molly when he see her on Christmas Eve?

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

5. About what does Thomas feel guilty?

Short Essay Questions

1. What punishment does the Colonel mete out to the boys and how does their mother amend the punishment?

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

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

4. How does Thomas' father die?

5. Of what does the dead crow remind Thomas?

6. What does Big Joe do after Bertha's funeral and why isn't anyone worried?

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

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

9. Describe Thomas and Charlie's poaching experience.

10. What effect does Charlie taking Bertha have on his relationship with Molly?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Thomas sees a dead crow hanging from the fence. The crow reminds Thomas of his father's death. Thomas's father used to take Thomas out into the woods with him in the mornings to cut timber. Thomas would play in the woods while his father worked. One day, Thomas was playing in the woods and a tree almost fell on him. Thomas' father yells at him to run, but Thomas is scared and can't run. Thomas' father runs to him and throws him out of the way of the falling tree. The tree crushes Thomas' father, killing him instantly. At the funeral, Thomas keeps his terrible secret. If Thomas had only run when his father told him to, his father would still be alive. Thomas feels that he killed his father.

1. Discuss the implications or the situation of a father taking a very young boy with him when cutting timber, a very dangerous job even for adults. Why do you think the father did this? Why might the mother have allowed it? What does this say about the difference between the early 1900s and the present? Use examples from your own life and Private Peaceful to support your answer.

2. Discuss some of the ways in which Mr. Peaceful's death affected Thomas for the rest of his life. Use examples from your own life and Private Peaceful to support your answer.

3. Discuss the differences with which Thomas' family handled his father's death compared to how it might be done today. For example, is it more likely now that if a very young boy witnesses his father's death the boy would be taken to counseling? What other differences might occur? Use examples from your own life and Private Peaceful to support your answer.

4. Why do you think the dead crow reminded Thomas of his father's death? Use examples from your own life and Private Peaceful to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Private Peaceful belongs to the war novel genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the war novel 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 war novel and a historical novel or a mystery?

Essay Topic 3

Characters are an important part of what makes Private Peaceful interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Charlie. What are his strengths? His weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he always likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

2. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Molly. What are her strengths? Her weaknesses? How does she contribute to the plot? Is she a sympathetic character? Is she ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

3. Thoroughly discuss and analyze the character of Thomas. What are his strengths? His weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

(see the answer keys)

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