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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 viewer hear in "View of the Capitol from the Library of Congress"?

2. What does the man in "The Gentleman of Shalott" believe about being only part of a man?

3. What are two sounds the poet appreciates in "Questions of Travel"?

4. Why does Bishop love the sea?

5. Who do the characters pick up in "Manners"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the final stanza of "Insomnia" depict?

2. What is similar about the poems in North and South devoted to morning?

3. What is the significance of the title of "The Prodigal"?

4. What is the meaning of the lines "I'm afraid if it's wheat it's none of your sowing" in "Letter to N.Y."?

5. How does the title of "The Man-Moth" alter the feel of the poem?

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

7. Why does "Arrival at Santos" end with the tour group heading toward the interior of Brazil?

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

9. What is the significance of the trees capturing the music in "View of the Capitol from the Library of Congress"?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose three poems that employ metaphor and/or simile, and discuss Bishop's use of these poetic devices. How does she employ them? How do they contribute to each poem's effectiveness? How would the poems be different if these had been omitted? Compare and contrast the ways metaphor and/or simile are applied in the three poems.

Essay Topic 2

Much of Bishop's poetry relates to nature. Citing specific poems from various sections throughout the text, analyze Bishop's relationship to the natural world in a general sense. How does she view it? What is its meaning and significance? How would her writing be different if this element were absent?

Essay Topic 3

What is Bishop's attitude toward the characters in "Exchanging Hats"? Is it objective or judgmental? Support your claim with specific quotations from the poem. Does her attitude seem out of character for Bishop, considering the sense of humor she displays in other poems? Do you think her attitude has to do with the fact that the trend she witnesses is started by an "unfunny uncle"? Might she view things differently if the trend had been started by someone she admired?

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