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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. From the introduction, how does the reader know that the protagonist will defy social convention?

2. What is the best description of the house Adoniram and Sarah Penn own?

3. When Mother is talking to Father about their house, what is it that she cannot comprehend?

4. How does Father respond to Mother's two questions following the bantering scene?

5. Where does Sammy go before Father can assign more chores?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the interaction between Mother and Father after dinner on the day Father returns from his trip.

2. Describe Mother's reaction to Nanny's suggestion and what Mother does at the end of this conversation with Nanny in Section 2.

3. What does the introduction do for the reader?

4. Describe Nanny's reaction to her Mother's news about the location of the digging.

5. After Father's conversation with Sammy about Mother, what occurs with regard to the barn and Father's plans for it?

6. After Nanny and Sammy leave the house, what is the interaction between Mother and Father?

7. When Mother makes the statement to Nanny about unsolicited opportunities, what is her thought, and what is the reader led to believe?

8. Why does Father need to go out of town unexpectedly, and whom is he going to see?

9. Explain whether the decision Mother makes while Father is absent is a major undertaking. Provide reasons for your answer.

10. What occurs after the minister leaves?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Of the four main characters (Father, Mother, Nanny, and Sammy), pick one, and explain her or his struggle with social convention during this time. Does the character fight the convention or succumb to it? What is the motivation for this character to follow social convention? Is the motivation purely to go along with what everyone else is doing, or is there some other reason given in the story that provides motivation to make the choices the character does?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay about tone used in the story as Mother is characterized. Mother is portrayed using sarcasm, anger, and submission. Does the author do an adequate job of developing these different tones of Mother's voice? Or does Mother appear to be erratic as she moves from one attitude to another so many times throughout the story?

Essay Topic 3

This short story was certain to have caused a stir when it was written and first read. Do you think it is a significant enough piece of literature to make an impact on how women were viewed during the time in which it was written?

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