View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What confuses Sarah Lumb?

2. Where does Burns sit naked?

3. Into what does Dr. Rivers get some insight?

4. Why did Sassoon want a court-martial?

5. What does Sassoon do when he arrives at the steps into the hospital?

Short Essay Questions

1. What game do Sassoon and Anderson play in Chapter 8 and what does Anderson almost do to Sassoon?

2. What does Prior do when he sneaks off the hospital grounds?

3. What does Sassoon do after his swim with Graves?

4. What does Sassoon tell Dr. Rivers about his medical board and what did the board determine about Sassoon?

5. What does is Prior able to do at the beginning of Chapter 6 and what does he ask Rivers to do?

6. What does Dr. Brock suggest to Rivers about Sassoon?

7. What does Rivers see when Prior's parents visit?

8. What happened to Prior that sent him to the hospital?

9. What is wrong with Broadbent and what does Rivers do about it?

10. Who is reading a letter at the beginning of Chapter 1 and what is it titled?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Most protagonists are a mixture of admirable traits and character flaws, and both Sassoon and Rivers are no exceptions.

1. Trace and analyze situations when Sassoon and Rivers each demonstrates his admirable traits. Give specific examples to illustrate your analysis.

2. Trace and analyze both Sassoon and Rivers' character flaws, and explain how the flaws create more complex and believable characters. How do you think either man's character flaws make some situations more difficult for him?

3. After analyzing each man's strengths and weaknesses, decide if each man is an appropriate "hero" of the story. Is there anyone else who might be a more admirable "hero"?

Essay Topic 2

Often titles reveal much about one or more aspects of a novel. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think is the purpose of a title? How closely related to a major theme(s) of a book do you think a title should be? Or should it be?

2. How is the word "Regeneration" relevant to the action of the novel? What sort of emotional/psychological response does the title evoke? Why do you think Barker chose this title (if she does)? If you were perusing the library for a book to read and saw this title, would it pique your interest? Why or why not. Does it seem to be the best title for the book?

3. If you were the writer of Regeneration and your editor says the title must be changed, what would you choose? Why?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. What do you think are the characteristics of a successful novel?

2. Analyze and discuss Regeneration based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if it is a successful novel. Explain your rationale with specific examples.

3. Do you think the fact that Regeneration falls within the genre of historical fiction and/or political protest changes the criteria upon which its success should be judged? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,013 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample