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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 kind of business do Malcolm's parents own?

2. Who holds the position of carpenter within Malcolm's community?

3. When Eric tells Malcolm that he has to be "suitable" (109), what word does he really mean to use?

4. How old is Malcolm, the protagonist of the novel Book of Dust?

5. What is the ruling government called in the society depicted in the novel?

Short Essay Questions

1. What takes place within the short scene when Lord Asriel is able to spend a few minutes with Lyra?

2. Discuss the identity of the man who dropped the acorn nearby the river.

3. Who turns out to be the main mastermind behind The League of St. Alexander?

4. To whom does Malcolm first voice his concerns about the visitors inquiring at The Trout Inn about the priory and an infant?

5. In what way is the theme of courage depicted within Chapter 10?

6. In what way is Malcolm portrayed as a kind and altruistic character?

7. What does Malcolm learn about the true nature of Robert Luckhurst's death?

8. What aspects of the nuns' lives does Malcolm admire?

9. What method does Lord Asriel use in order to escape from his pursuers at the end of Chapter 10?

10. In what way does the theme of deception enter the narrative within Chapter 6?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the author's focus on the theme of adaptability in Philip Pullman's novel Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage. What message is Pullman sending about adaptability over the course of the novel?

Essay Topic 2

William Faulkner once famously claimed that the most important literature deals with the subject of the human heart in conflict with itself. Explain how the theme of Human versus Self is demonstrated within Philip Pullman's novel Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage. Create a decisive, arguable claim and prove it with quotes from the novel.

Essay Topic 3

Write a critical essay about Philip Pullman's novel Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage while using the critical power theory lens of Marxist theory. Use textual evidence to back up your strong, specific claim regarding the novel's treatment of issues such as socioeconomic status, hierarchies, wealth, class, and any other issues related to Marxist theory that can be found in the novel.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 859 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample