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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. Whose clothing does the devil's clothing resemble?

2. Why is Tom's business immediately successful?

3. What is Tom's reaction to the idea of being a usurer?

4. Why does the devil say that he has a right to cut wood on this land?

5. When the narrator refers to Tom's parsimony, what characteristic is being discussed?

Short Essay Questions

1. Before Tom and the devil part, how does the devil seal his side of the bargain and what does this allude to?

2. What are Tom Walker's first house and property like?

3. How does Tom treat his horses, and what does this illustrate about his character?

4. What implicit racism is there in the description of the fort that once stood in the swamp?

5. The devil lists several of his own nicknames for Tom; what pattern can be seen in these names, and what is its significance?

6. Describe the appearance of the devil in this story.

7. What recent events lead to Tom's business being so successful?

8. What kind of a person is Tom Walker's wife?

9. Who is the guardian of William Kidd's treasure, and why?

10. What does Tom believe happened to his wife, and why, and how does he feel about it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the story's allusion to the legend of El Dorodo support the overall meaning of the story? Explain the allusion, offer an interpretation, and then explain how it supports the story's theme. Be sure to offer textual support for your claims.

Essay Topic 2

What function do the frame story and the editorializing by the intrusive narrator serve in this story? Write an essay in which you take a position on one effect that both of these authorial choices support; be sure to offer textual support for your claims.

Essay Topic 3

What is the implicit point of view about women that this story offers? Consider the descriptions and actions of Tom's wife, the devil's treatment of Tom's wife, and the narrator's comments about women. Be sure to offer textual support for your claims.

(see the answer keys)

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