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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. If Nancy Rufford were to reunite with her father, which country would she be traveling to?

2. What is discovered about John Hurlbird's health after his death?

3. Who sends a telegram to the Ashburnhams stating the sender's promise to take care of Nancy Rufford's mother?

4. Just before John Dowell comes to visit the Ashburnhams, Leonora Ashburnham bursts into Nancy Rufford's room and insists that Nancy do which of the following:

5. Where does Nancy Rufford live before she begins living with the Ashburnhams?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Part 3, Chapter 4, John Dowell describes many unfortunate circumstances that contributed to the downfall of the Ashburnham marriage. With John's sympathetic portrait of the Ashburnhams in mind, do you think unfortunate circumstances are to blame for the destruction of the Ashburnham marriage or are the Ashburnhams themselves to blame for its downfall?

2. In Part 4, Chapter 1, what is John Dowell's motivation for blaming both Leonora Ashburnham and Florence Dowell for the downfall of the Ashburnham marriage and not Captain Edward Ashburnham?

3. Leonora accepts many of Captain Edward Ashburnham's affairs; however, Leonora does not accept Edward's affair with Florence Dowell. Why does Leonora especially disapprove of Edward's affair with Florence Dowell?

4. What must Nancy reject in order to make her decision to meet her mother in Glasgow?

5. Part 4, Chapter 4 seems to imply that the Ashburnhams have been lying to Nancy about her family. Is it right for the Ashburnhams to keep Nancy Rufford's family history a secret?

6. Does Leonora Ashburnham approve of the affair between Captain Edward Ashburnham and Maisie Maidan?

7. John Dowell describes Nancy Rufford as a young and exuberant Catholic school girl. Is Nancy as pious and righteous as her religious upbringing might suggest?

8. Describe the fight that takes place in Part 4, Chapter 2, between Leonora Ashburnham, Nancy Rufford, and Captain Edward Ashburnham?

9. How has Captain Edward Ashburnham changed since his youth?

10. Do you agree with John Dowell when he says that Captain Edward Ashburnham does not feel remorse?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the role of money in The Good Soldier. How does money affect the characters' relationships in The Good Soldier? If money is truly power, which of the novel's characters are powerful? How do the novel's characters utilize the power of money?

Essay Topic 2

Explore Ford's use of symbolism in The Good Soldier. In the essay, explain the significance of the following symbols:

1. The color blue.

2. The heart.

3. Leonora Ashburnham's bracelet.

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast The Good Soldier's two male main characters, Edward Ashburnham and John Dowell. Are either of these characters more of a "man" than the other? Of these two characters, who does Ford seem to sympathize with the most? What qualities make either of these characters more sympathetic than the other? If Ford does indeed elevate John over Edward, or vice versa , what does his preference imply about the overall message of the novel?

(see the answer keys)

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