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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 say he plans to do?

2. On what day does Thomas say he was born?

3. How does Thomas get partially buried in the dirt?

4. Who does Thomas notice in town recruiting for the war?

5. What does everyone share in common?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the Colonel demand and how does he threaten Charlie's family?

2. What is the new assignment at Wipers like?

3. Why is Molly at Charlie and Thomas' house one day when they return from work and what has she brought with her?

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

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

6. What happens to Thomas in the German bunker and who pulls him out?

7. What does Thomas do on his one day of leave and why does that leave him feeling empty inside?

8. What are Charlie and Thomas' company told to do one day?

9. What news does Molly announce and how does Charlie respond?

10. What happens when Thomas is writing a letter home and how does Thomas respond?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many readers of fiction place themselves in the position of one character and wonder if they would do the same thing as that character. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think one of the values of literature is to serve as a reflection of oneself? Why or why not?

2. Socrates said "Know thyself." How can reading a book such as Private Peaceful help a reader to know him/herself? Do you find yourself reflecting on your own character and abilities when reading Private Peaceful? Why or why not.

3. Choose one specific incident in Private Peaceful to discuss and compare one of the characters' response to how you think you would respond.

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

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?

(see the answer keys)

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