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 does Saskia start to help Dagmar's mother do in Chapter 9?

2. What does she plan to do to fulfill her promise to herself in Chapter 12?

3. Why does Elke bring this object to the tailor in Chapter 11?

4. Who does Elke work for?

5. What is Saskia unable to resist doing in Chapter 12?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Saskia learn in Chapter 9?

2. Why doesn't the young maiden's father want the tailor to marry his daughter?

3. What happens when the miller becomes depressed in Chapter 6?

4. What classic story does "Spinners" borrow elements from?

5. What does Saskia promise herself at the end of Chapter 12?

6. Why does the tailor want Saskia's spinner in Chapter 11?

7. Why doesn't Saskia want to trade wheels with Elke in Chapter 12?

8. Why doesn't the tailor invite Elke inside his house in Chapter 11?

9. What does the tailor insist upon in Chapter 11?

10. How does the tailor try to convince the father of the young maiden that he is worthy of his daughter in Chapter 1?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze and interpret the tailor as a character. What are his defining character traits? What is his role in the story? Is he the antagonist of the story? Why or why not? What are his goals and ambitions? What is his relationship like with Saskia?

Essay Topic 2

What is the genre of the novel? What are elements commonly found in this type of novel? What are some other examples of works of this genre? What similarities do these works share with the novel "Spinners"?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the motif of family in the novel "Spinners". Describe Saskia's family. Is family important to her? In what way is her family life complicated?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 741 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample