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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. Why do Hugo and Ginnie tell Richard not to go to the performance?

2. What is Michael's reaction to Richard killing Lord Horn?

3. What does Ferris worry will happen to Richard?

4. What does the Duchess believe that Michael wants?

5. When Alec leaves Richard, where does Richard believe he's gone?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the Duchess tell Alec about Richard and their relationship after Richard has left?

2. How does Basil Halliday react to the news of Lord Horn's death?

3. What does the Duchess tell Katherine after Alec injures himself?

4. How does Lord Horn respond to Alec?

5. Where does Richard meet Katherine after the trial?

6. How does Lord Ferris see his relationship with the Duchess?

7. What is Richard and Alec's last night together like?

8. Why does Lord Ferris want to see Richard after he is captured?

9. How does Lord Horn feel when he finds Richard has broken into his house?

10. What allows Richard to win the duel in Chapter 16?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Richard, as a swordsman, has a violent and even bloodthirsty role in the novel. Discuss violence and death in the novel.

1) How does the society look at death? How seriously does the society take death and violence?

2) What power does Richard's ability to inflict death give him? What other characters gain power through death and violence?

3) How is violence viewed differently by the different social classes in the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the novel's point of view.

1) Why does the novel move between different characters' points of view? What different perspectives does it give the reader?

2) What are the primary characters whose points of view are shown in the novel? Find a character who never takes the narrative point of view. Why is this character excluded?

3) How much does the reader's perspective change as the point of view switches between different characters or areas of the society?

Essay Topic 3

Several characters move between social classes in the novel. Discuss moving between social classes in Swordspoint.

1) How does Katherine move out of Riverside and to the Hill? What is the cost and benefit of this move? Why does she make it? How does it change her life and status?

2) How does Alec move out of the Hill and into Riverside? What is the cost and benefit of this move? Why does he make it? How does it change his life and status?

3) How does Richard, as a swordsman, move between the upper and lower classes?

(see the answer keys)

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