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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 does Severian save in the cemetery?

2. What does the the priestess look at to determine if Severian is guilty of stealing the Claw?

3. What do the boys swim across on their way back from the graveyard?

4. How many men do Severian and the boys see in the graveyard?

5. Who is hoping that Vodalus can be captured by holding and torturing Thecla?

Short Essay Questions

1. When will the duel occur and why must it occur at that time?

2. Why isn't the guild able to pass judgement on the people who are sent there?

3. Why does Severian say he wants to be a torturer?

4. What happens to anything that touches the leaves of an avern?

5. What vision do Severian and Dorcas see following the duel?

6. Why does Severian hide the coin he receives from Vodalus?

7. What reason does Master Palaemon give Severian that the guild is unable to punish or kill Severian for helping Thecla?

8. What do Severian and the other apprentices see when they go to the graveyard?

9. What happened to the other men that Agilus and Agia had challenged in the same manner as Severian?

10. What does Thecla hope the Autarch will do?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe Severian as the protagonist of Shadow & Claw. How does he fit the role of protagonist? Does a torturer and executioner seem a likely hero? Why or why not? Is the character of Severian believable as a man of honor?

Essay Topic 2

What changes does Severian undergo from the beginning of Shadow & Claw to the end? What events facilitate his growth?

Essay Topic 3

Why does the author use past tense to tell this story? What purpose does it serve? Does it add to or detract from the story? Would the story work if told in any other tense?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 540 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample