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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 is just outside the House?

2. What is Clifford’s state of health?

3. Why is Holgrave at the house at the beginning of the novel?

4. What was the symptom of this mysterious death that occurs when the Pyncheons move into the House?

5. How does Hepzibah feel towards the Judge at the beginning of the book?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Hepzibah's feelings towards the Judge seem to be?

2. Describe Phoebe's first encounter with the Judge.

3. What tragedies soon afflicted the Pyncheon family?

4. Explain who Clifford is and describe his homecoming.

5. What were the Maules like as a family?

6. What does the Judge try to do?

7. How would you describe the House of Seven Gables?

8. Who built the House of the Seven Gables? Why is this ironic?

9. Describe some of the "eerie" qualities of the House.

10. Describe how Phoebe comes to stay at the House.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay that explores how Hawthorne develops Hepzibah and Phoebe as central characters in the novel. How do they differ? How are they similar? How do the two characters taken together help deepen the themes of the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay exploring the oppositions between pairs of characters. Compare and contrast Uncle Venner with Judge Pyncheon, Holgrave with Clifford, and Hepzibah with Phoebe. How do these oppositions help develop the themes of the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay exploring the significance of Alice Pyncheon’s story. Why did Holgrave choose to share Alice’s story with Phoebe, and what is the importance of her story to the novel as a whole?

(see the answer keys)

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