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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 Tolkien announce to Christopher Bretherton in Letter #257?

2. How does Tolkien think his writing about the joys of fatherhood will be interpreted by people who are not yet parents?

3. Who are most of the recipients of "The Final Letters"?

4. How heroic does Tolkien think Frodo is in Letter #246?

5. 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."?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Which familiar people does Tolkien continue to write to in the "Later Years," and which recipients are new?

3. When is Tolkien's final letter written and how does he attempt to assemble his work before he passes away?

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

5. What information does Tolkien provide in his remembrance of C.S. Lewis in Letters #257 and #261?

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

7. Which literary device does Tolkien not appreciate and how does he view the intended audience of fairy tales?

8. How does Tolkien support his assessment of Gandalf's Ring-wearing in Letter #246?

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

10. What problem of Sauron does Tolkien describe in his letter to Auden as an example of human behavior?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Tolkien's creative writing process using the information he provides in his letters throughout the book. Be sure to include his explanation of the power of the pen as well as an analysis of the role of improvisation in fiction.

Essay Topic 3

Explain the difficult situation that Tolkien encounters while having The Lord of the Rings published by Collins, and the events that lead him to work with Unwin & Allen on the trilogy. Also, provide an analysis of the poem, "Errantry," and its significance in the publishing of The Lord of the Rings.

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