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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 Wit" describe?

2. Where is the poet located as she composes "The Moose"?

3. Who is the philosopher referenced in "The Wit"?

4. What is the visitor's mood in "House Guest"?

5. What memory does the toad in "Giant Toad" recall?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the double meaning of the phrase "family travelling through the flesh" in Drummond de Andrade's "Family Portrait"?

2. How is the character in "The Giant Snail" an exaggerated human figure?

3. What does "12 O'Clock News" reveal about the way Bishop views familiar objects?

4. In what state does the poet imply she is currently in her poem "Sonnet," written in 1928?

5. In what style is Bandeira's poem "Brazilian Tragedy" composed?

6. What is the moral Bishop puts forth in "Thank-You Note"?

7. What are two meanings of the title "The Waiting Room"?

8. What do all the metaphorical places in "For C.W.B." have in common?

9. How does Max Jacobs' "Hell Is Graduated" change in the course of the poem?

10. What do the various animals symbolize in "A Word with You"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

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

Describe Bishop's sense of humor as evidenced by her poetry. Is her humorous tone consistent across the various poems, or does it change? Why do you think she chooses a humorous approach in these poems? How does it make the poetry more effective? How would these poems be different if the writing were more objective? Cite specific poems to support your claim. Some poems you might consider include "The Man-Moth," "Lines Written in the Fannie Farmer Cookbook," and "12 O'Clock News."

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