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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. What happens in the storm?

2. What path does Ash believe is best for the Taltos after hearing the ideas of Christianity?

3. Who do Stuart's notes implicate?

4. What type of memories does Ash say the Taltos have?

5. What does Mona tell the doctor they need?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Rowan tell Ash about Michael's fears about telling Ash the truth?

2. How did many Taltos women die, and what happens when a Taltos dies? Why was life good for the Taltos?

3. What does Ash say about how the Taltos first lived peaceably with humans?

4. What does Mona tell Mary Jane about her baby and what do they decide to do?

5. What do Michael and Yuri talk about on the phone?

6. What does Rowan tell Ash about a Taltos female, and what is Ash's reaction to the news?

7. How did Ash's group of Taltos, especially the young ones, feel about the rest of the world?

8. How does Ash hear about Christianity and how does he feel about that religion?

9. What does Granny tell Mona about walking babies?

10. How did Taltos couple and what kind of romantic relationships did they have?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose one of the following to discuss:

1. Choose two significant symbols and trace and analyze their appearance in Taltos. Are these universal symbols? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other symbols that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Rice chooses the symbols she does?

2. Choose two important metaphors and trace and analyze their appearance in the novel. Are these universal metaphors? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other metaphors that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Rice chooses the metaphors she does?

3. Discuss Rice's use (or lack ) of literary device (such as foreshadowing, cliffhangers, deux ex machina, etc...), and how they add or detract from the story. Does Rice use too many or too little literary techniques? State which of the five major elements of fiction the literary device is related to (style, character, plot, setting, theme).

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the following:

1. Who is/are the protagonists of the story and why?

2. Who is/are the antagonists of the story and why?

3. Which 3 secondary characters have the greatest impact on the plot?

4. Are any of the characters dispensable and which ones? Why or why not?

5. Do you think this is a character-driven plot or an action-driven plot? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Whenever reading a science fiction or fantasy novel, one must become familiar with new terminology that explains concepts or ideas that are not a part of the "real" world. In the case of Taltos, much of the setting may seem familiar to the reader (i.e. it is in the "real" world), though there are new ideas and terms to learn. Discuss the following:

1. Find five terms that are a part of the world of Taltos that occur in the "real" world, but are used differently in Taltos.

2. Define the words as used in Taltos's world, and compare those five words as to how they are currently used in the American English language.

3. There are ways of learning about a new world or time when reading a science fiction or fantasy novel. Discuss the ways you were able to understand the world of Taltos. Did you have to look up any words? What does it mean to learn a word through its context? Do you have to do that in Taltos? What word(s)?

4. Were there any words you never really understood from Taltos? Which ones?

(see the answer keys)

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