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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. Where do Coker and Bill go at the end of Chapter Nine?

2. Where does Miss Durrant indicate Beadley's party has gone?

3. What does the group see at night on the roof?

4. What does Dennis learn to help him in the future?

5. How did Coker escape blindness?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain how Coker meets with Bill again.

2. What was Coker's response to Miss Durrant's chastising of his brutal methods at University Tower?

3. Describe what occurs to the young woman at the end of Chapter Eight, and Bill's thoughts of her.

4. Describe how Bill finds Josella.

5. How does Coker view Miss Durrant, and what does he believe she will do with Tynsham?

6. Describe Miss Durrant's views, and her Tynsham community.

7. Why do you think the small groups located by helicopter in Chapter Twelve choose not to join other groups?

8. Explain Bill's argument that an immediate need for harvest is not necessary.

9. Describe Shirning Farm.

10. Describe what happens to Bill at the beginning of Chapter Eight, in terms of how he is kidnapped.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Loneliness is a constant theme in the novel, and in several cases, is the cause for severe depression or drastic decisions. Choose a part of the story where loneliness plays an important part (such as in the beginning of Chapter Thirteen, where Bill is searching for Josella). What causes the character's loneliness? What are the effects of the emotion? Could the person have solved the issue? What does this say about the effect of loneliness on humans? Why is this effect so profound?

Essay Topic 2

In the book, many of the characters appear to come from the upper class, such as Josella, while others, such as Coker, seem to come from a more meager background. How do you think this separation of class affects the different societies that emerge within the novel? Do you think social class has any bearing in this new world? If so, what? If not, what does have bearing? Do the leaders of the communities appear to be of a certain social class? Has the crisis changed the social order and, if so, how? What are the new credentials for success? What were the old credentials? What does this say about our society in comparison to the society within the novel?

Essay Topic 3

It has been argued by some that there is a constant theme of social togetherness throughout the novel, in that all people seem to want to band together into small communities and join one another for companionship and friendship. However, in many cases, these same individuals, once they reach a certain number of people, want nothing to do with other colonies or tribes of survivors. Why do you think this is? If humans are social, why do they, in the book, limit their societies to small numbers of individuals? What does this say about humanity, in terms of their willingness to accept different ideas? Do you think this represents reality? Why or why not?

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