View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which one of the following does Tolkien vigorously discuss in his letters?

2. What point does Tolkien make about his book, The Silmarillion, in Letter #131?

3. Where is the man whose accent Tolkien refers to as "English after being wiped over with a dirty sponge" from?

4. What chapter of the book that Tolkien is working on is he considering altering in Letter #128?

5. How does Tolkien think children will respond to Farmer Giles of Ham?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Tolkien explain the role of humans and mankind in his stories in Letter #131?

2. How does Tolkien design Farmer Giles of Ham and what does he think about it being considered a children's story?

3. In what way does Tolkien realistically depict his job as a professor in 1952?

4. How can the One Ring of Power be destroyed?

5. Who is Tolkien traveling with in the story he recounts for Christopher in a letter from April 3, 1944, and what is the point of the story?

6. What happens between Collins and Tolkien during the publishing of The Lord of the Rings?

7. How does Tolkien characterize Sauron in Letter #131?

8. What change does Tolkien consider and eventually make to The Hobbit in Letters #128 and #129, and why is it significant?

9. What request does Allen & Unwin have about Farmer Giles of Ham and how does Tolkien respond?

10. How does Tolkien refer to The Hobbit in his early letters to Christopher?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Tolkien expresses his discontent with changes made to his work by editors in various letters.

1) Describe two examples of Tolkien's disagreement with proposed changes in spelling or use of words for his stories.

2) Analyze how Tolkien invented the different languages for his fictional realm and why his educational background was significant.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the stages of publishing for The Lord of the Rings, including the following:

1) The initial cover images, Tolkien's reaction to them, and how the publishers respond to him.

2) The galleys and what Tolkien realizes while revising his books.

3) The idea of including maps for Tolkien's imaginary world and how he involves Christopher in the process.

4) The varying tones that Tolkien uses in his letters while describing the events that are leading up to the release of his work.

Essay Topic 3

Explain the reasons that Tolkien had for writing The Hobbit, The Lords of the Ring, and The Silmarillion. Also, provide an analysis of how his dislike for industrialization factored into his work, the way he used specific characters to represent both sides, and why he thought it was necessary to write fairy tales.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 866 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample