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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. Where does Thomas aim?

2. What is the outcome of the trial?

3. Who else suffers as a result of Charlie's refusal?

4. What seems to be briefly forgotten right after Big Joe is found?

5. What does Thomas see when he makes it into the main trench?

Short Essay Questions

1. While in Wipers, what does the company do for two whole days?

2. How does Charlie bring Sergeant Hanley's wrath down on the regiment?

3. Where are Charlie and Thomas sent and why are they glad at first?

4. What happens when the next wave of shelling stops?

5. What happens when they encounter a German soldier in the German trenches?

6. How does Thomas react to Molly's being married to Charlie?

7. What does Thomas wait for for a night and day and what is the outcome?

8. What happens to Charlie when they return to their own lines?

9. Who is in the bunker and what does Sergeant Hanley order his men to do?

10. How does Thomas experience some of the gas and what happens when a German soldier sees Thomas?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the following:

1. Who is/are the protagonists of the story and why?

2. Who is/are the antagonists of the story and why?

3. Which 3 secondary characters have the greatest impact on the plot?

4. Are any of the characters dispensable and which ones? Why or why not?

5. Do you think this is a character-driven plot or an action-driven plot? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Choose one of the following to discuss:

1. Choose two significant symbols and trace and analyze their appearance in Private Peaceful. Are these universal symbols? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other symbols that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Morpurgo chooses the symbols he does?

2. Choose two important metaphors and trace and analyze their appearance in the novel. Are these universal metaphors? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other metaphors that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Morpurgo chooses the metaphors he does?

3. Discuss Morpurgo's use (or lack ) of literary device (such as foreshadowing, clifthangers, deux ex machina, etc...), and how they add or detract from the story. Does Morpurgo use too many or too little literary techniques? State which of the five major elements of fiction the literary device is related to (style, character, plot, setting, theme).

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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