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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 does Coverdale regret peremptorily ending his conversation with Professor Westervelt?

2. Who does Coverdale suggest to Hollingsworth that he believes Zenobia to be the sister of?

3. Why does Coverdale believe the neighbors of Blithedale slander their farming abilities?

4. How is Coverdale's attitude after a stranger interrupts his secluded time on his holiday?

5. In Section 6, Chapter 12, Coverdale watches Hollingsworth beckoning the others; what does he think Hollingsworth sees all of mankind as?

Short Essay Questions

1. What wise suggestion of Coverdale's does Priscilla reject in Section 5, Chapter 9?

2. What makes Coverdale think that Zenobia will not be Priscilla's friend for long?

3. What does Coverdale discern about Hollingsworth after studying him?

4. Why does Coverdale decide to never reveal what he overheard Zenobia and Westervelt talking about in Section 6, Chapter 12?

5. How does Coverdale justify sitting down to dinner with people of a lower class?

6. How does Zenobia treat Priscilla, and what does she say to justify that behavior?

7. What is Hollingsworth's reaction when Coverdale tells him that he does not know if he will ever be a philanthropist?

8. How can Coverdale tell that Zenobia is upset with Hollingsworth in Section 2, Chapter 3?

9. Mr. Coverdale notes the flower in Zenobia's hair; what does he compare her to?

10. How does Zenobia dramatically conclude her story in Section 7, Chapter 13?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In The Blithedale Romance, a group of people go to Blithedale to join a group of intellectual upper class people who want to learn the art of husbandry and develop their own Arcadian society. Explore the experimental society in The Blithedale Romance , and examine the reasons for the different characters on joining the community. Why is Blithedale considered an experimental society? What does Arcadian mean? Are there any communities in today's societies that compare to Blithedale? What are the people of Blithedale interested in doing?

Essay Topic 2

Description is the fiction-writing mode for creating a mental image of a story. Study the use of description in The Blithedale Romance. How does Coverdale describe his first impressions of life at Blithedale? How is Zenobia vividly described?

Essay Topic 3

In Section 7, Chapter 13, Zenobia tells a story about the Veiled Lady, entitled "The Silver Veil." The story has many correlations to those at Blithedale, and Zenobia even uses Priscilla as "inspiration" for her story. Analyze the story about the Veiled Lady, entitled "The Silver Veil." What is Zenobia's motive for telling this story? Why would Zenobia want to correlate Priscilla with the Veiled Lady? Who does Zenobia probably represent in the story?

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