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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. Who leads the exhausted Josephine to the back of the bar after her frenzied dance?

2. How did Beatrice die?

3. What object is Fortune holding in his hand as he talks to Mama from outside her place?

4. For how many months had Salima been asking Fortune to buy her the item he finally bought on the day of her abduction?

5. Which character nurses a beer while watching Sophie and Mama sing in Scene 1 of Act Two?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was the cause of the pastor's ultimate fate, according to Christian?

2. What objects does Mama ask Sophie to fetch at the end of Scene 5 in Act Two and why?

3. What is ironic about Nottage's description of Fortune as being "like a centurion guarding the gates" (63)?

4. What is the setting of Scene 5 of Act One?

5. What proposition does Christian make to Mama in Scene 6 of Act One and how does she respond?

6. What does the pot symbolize within the play?

7. Who was Beatrice?

8. What action does Mama take immediately after accusing Sophie of stealing in Scene 5 of Act One?

9. How does Sophie respond to Mama's demand to hear her plans for the stolen money?

10. What action does Mama take immediately after she hears the news Christian delivers in Scene 6 of Act One?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

William Faulkner once famously claimed that the most important literature deals with the subject of the human heart in conflict with itself. Explain how the theme of Human versus Self is demonstrated within Nottage’s play Ruined. Create a decisive, arguable claim and prove it with quotes from the play.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Christian's role within the events of the play and explain how his character helps to further develop certain themes inherent in Nottage's piece.

Essay Topic 3

Examine the role of family within the text Ruined. What types of family relationships are represented and how does Nottage use their variety to inform many of the work's themes?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 907 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample