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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 happens to Phoebe while Holgrave is reading his story?

2. What does Clifford regularly ask about?

3. With her new free time, Phoebe is spending more time with whom?

4. How is Phoebe changing by the time she gains more free time?

5. What did Maule’s father do?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Clifford's homecoming both bitter and sweet?

2. What was the impact of Maule's hypnotism on Alice?

3. What are some of the things Clifford watches from the arched window, and how does he react to what he sees?

4. What did Maule do to Alice?

5. How is Phoebe changing, and why?

6. How does the atmosphere of the House influence Phoebe?

7. How has Clifford's behavior changed when he comes back?

8. How does the author build suspense as Hepzibah waits while the Judge meets with Clifford?

9. What happened to Phoebe while Holgrave had been reading, and how did Holgrave account for it?

10. How does Phoebe contribute?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Hawthorne wrote The House of Seven Gables about a real house in Salem, Massachusetts--a town with a notorious history and strong ties to Hawthorne’s own past. Write an essay that explains why Salem’s history has a personal significance for Hawthorne, and why he chose to set his novel there.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay that explores the importance of Maule’s curse. How is the curse fulfilled throughout the story? Is the curse real or do its apparent victims bring their misfortune upon themselves?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay discussing the importance of the old portrait of Colonel Pyncheon. How does the presence of the portrait influence the events and the atmosphere of the House? Why is its placement important? What does the portrait symbolize?

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