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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 does the older character teach the younger in "Manners"?

2. What is Bishop's attitude toward the title character and his family in "Manuelzinho"?

3. Why is the auntie surprised by the burglar's actions in "The Burglar of Babylon"?

4. What does the singer do in "Songs for a Colored Singer?"

5. The structure of the poem "Visits to St. Elizabeth's" is the same as what song?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Bishop liken an iceberg to the soul in "The Imaginary Iceberg"?

2. How does the poet frame her journey in "Over 2,000 Illustrations and a Complete Concordance"?

3. What surprise does Bishop reveal in the last line of "Insomnia?"

4. Why does Bishop use the structure of building each line upon the last in "Visits to St. Elizabeth's"?

5. Does Bishop see the ocean as ever-changing or never changing in the poems in Cold Spring?

6. How would you characterize the speaker's relationship to the title character in "Manuelzinho"?

7. How does Bishop feel about winter in "The Colder the Air"?

8. How is the tone of "A Cold Spring" in contrast to its subject matter?"

9. Why does the character in "The Gentleman of Shalott" think half of him would be enough?

10. How do the poet's descriptions in "Arrival at Santos" reflect her dual state of mind?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Love is a theme that is explored in several of Bishop's poems. Citing specific texts, analyze the place of love in Bishop's writings. What does she say about love? Does her perspective change or remain the same over time? Do you think these poems are more autobiographical or more universal in nature, and why?

Essay Topic 2

"Letter to N.Y." and "Invitation to Miss Marianne Moore" are both letters to friends of the poet in poetic form. How do these poems differ from the others in the collection? Consider the reader's knowledge about the speaker, the level of intimacy, and in what person the poems are composed. What is the overall effect of these differences on the reader? Do you think it is appropriate for these letters to be considered poetry in the same league with the rest of the collection? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

In several poems, Bishop reveals herself to be a storyteller. In some cases she is part of the story, and in other cases she tells it from an outsider's perspective. Choose three poems that tell stories. How are these narrative poems different from Bishop's other work? What literary devices does she employ? Compare and contrast the three poems, commenting on whether each is effective, and why or why not.

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