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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 is this conclusion of the book called?

2. What happens to Sam in mid-summer?

3. What is Sam's status in terms of work, in Chapter 9?

4. What does Sam say to excuse Henny's behavior when she beats Ernie for no reason?

5. What does Sam think Louie's reaction will be if he reads her poetry?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do the Pollits end up in Spa House?

2. Describe Henny's stay at Hassie's house.

3. How does the new baby strain the Pollit household?

4. How has the relationship between Sam and Henny changed by the time of Cathleen's eighteenth birthday?

5. Describe the reading of David Collyer's will.

6. Describe the children's reaction to the marlin Sam brings home.

7. What happens when Sam reads Louie's poetry?

8. Describe Miss Aiden's visit.

9. What happens after Sam gets the anonymous letter?

10. Describe Henny's second visit to Bert Anderson.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Would you recommend 'The Man Who Loved Children'? For what purposes would you recommend 'The Man Who Loved Children', and to what kinds of readers would you not recommend it? What book would you recommend that would cover the same material or provide the same emotional experience in a different way?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the significance of the title, 'The Man Who Loved Children'. Is this ironic, and if so, what is the irony? What are the two--or more--perspectives--from which this title could be seen? What effect does this irony have on our reading of the book? What does it make us focus on? How would a different title change our sense of the book?

Essay Topic 3

The story of Bonnie's baby gives the primary narrative of Louie, Sam, and Henny's relationship a greater depth and resonance. What does this subplot contribute to the book? What themes does it resonate with, and what part of this story, if any, threatens to overtake the primary narrative? Is it too emotional, too hidden, or too unspeakable? What keeps this subplot from being more important to the story? What does this subplot tell you about Stead's values as a storyteller?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 908 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample