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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 does Lewis find within an organ in the mansion in Chapter Eight?

2. What does Izard say in Chapter Eight about his wife in his notes?

3. What does Hammerhandle yell at Lewis in Chapter Seven?

4. What does Uncle Jonathan say when he sees Hammerhandle across the street in Chapter Seven?

5. Where does the magic eight ball tell Lewis that the clock is in Chapter Ten?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Uncle Jonathan say in Chapter Six that Izard’s tomb was marked? What did this symbol mean?

2. How does Tarby react when Lewis tries to talk to him in Chapter Nine? What does Lewis do?

3. Who appears in the basement in Chapter Nine? What are they carrying?

4. How do Uncle Jonathan, Mrs. Zimmerman, and Lewis find where the magical clock is in Chapter Ten?

5. What does Lewis ask Uncle Jonathan about the Hanchett House in Chapter Eight? How does Uncle Jonathan respond?

6. Why does Lewis feel sick in the beginning of Chapter Seven? What does he realize he has done?

7. What does Lewis see at night in Chapter Eight? What do they say?

8. What does Lewis see at night in Chapter Seven? What does he think he sees?

9. What does Lewis find in an organ in Chapter Eight? What does this object say?

10. What does Lewis do after he sees his Aunt Mattie in Chapter Eight? What else does he see?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

While John Bellair’s the House with the Clock in Its Walls is in the Gothic tradition, it combines elements of different Gothic genres and also has introductions of new themes. Write a definition of the new form of Gothic Bellair is making in the novel, what traditions he is pulling from or transforming, what he adds, and why he adds this. Write four pages with at least four textual examples.

Essay Topic 2

The American Gothic’s connection to nature is usually one of fear. What representation of nature is found in the novel? How is magic connected to nature and vice versa? Write three pages with at least four textual examples.

Essay Topic 3

The main event of the rising action in the novel is not introduced until halfway through the book. From there, the rest of the plot events are in the second half of the book. Why is the book structured in this way? What does this structure allow to also be included in the novel? Why are these additions to the plot included? Write three pages with at least four textual examples.

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