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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. Which literary technique does Tolkien not appreciate?

2. How long is Letter #182?

3. As mentioned in a letter to Unwin, how had Tolkien previously responded to the warning about his friendship with C.S. Lewis?

4. What book has Tolkien recently completed when he writes a letter to W.H. Auden that is included in "To Anne Barrett of Houghton Mifflin Co."?

5. To whom is Letter #159 addressed?

Short Essay Questions

1. What suspicions are confirmed by Tolkien about a woman's used book in 1965?

2. How did being a father help Tolkien in writing one of his most well known stories, The Hobbit?

3. What issues is Tolkien having with the cover images for The Lord of the Rings books and how does he handle the situation?

4. What wish does Tolkien have for "well-meaning" editors in Letter #236?

5. How does Tolkien disprove the misconception that his success was made overnight in Letter #159?

6. According to Tolkien's letter to W.H. Auden, what drives humans towards certain behaviors?

7. Why is Tolkien honored with a degree from the Belgians and how do they refer to him?

8. What observation is made about Tolkien's work that prompts him to evaluate Frodo's heroic status?

9. What important announcement does Tolkien make to Christopher Bretherton in Letter #253 about his connection to childhood?

10. What does Tolkien think about Frodo's breakdown at the Cracks of Doom being considered a moral failure?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The One Ring of Power is a significant element in The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien's letters.

1) Describe the One Ring, its features, and the effect it has on whoever wears it.

2) Explain the only known way to destroy the Ring.

3) Analyze Tolkien's hypothetical assessment of why Gandalf would be worse while wearing the Ring than Sauron and whether you agree with him.

Essay Topic 2

Analyze Tolkien's friendship with C.S. Lewis using his own accounts in the letters he writes about Lewis. Also, explain the controversy surrounding Lewis' work, the way Tolkien deals with his death, and the facts that Tolkien includes in remembering Lewis.

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the differences between literature that is designed to be read out loud and stories that are written to be read silently. Use Tolkien's work as a reference, including his intent with Farmer Giles of Ham and a look at the role of writing that is intended to be presented verbally in contemporary literature.

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