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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 the protagonist's name?

2. Why do the drinkard and his wife stay by the river for a whole month?

3. What does the woman, who is held captive by Skull, have around her neck?

4. Why won't the people of Wraith Island leave with the drinkard and his wife?

5. What does Skull make the woman sit on?

Short Essay Questions

1. During "To Travel by Air," why does the drinkard turn himself into a bird and fly his wife to their next destination?

2. Describe the "Spirit of Prey" and how he kills his prey.

3. Do the drinkard and his wife enjoy staying on Wraith-Island? Why or why not?

4. Who is "Faithful-Mother"? What is her responsibility?

5. What is symbolic about the magic seeds?

6. What kind of story is this? How is it told?

7. How do the drinkard and his wife eventually escape from the white creatures?

8. What lesson can be learned from the little creature on Wraith-Island who was not picked by the King to help clear the corn fields?

9. Who is the narrator of this novel? What is he like?

10. Why does the drinkard's initial plan to escape the white creatures backfire?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

While in Dead's Town the tapster explains that "alives" and "deads" can not live together because they each think the other group does everything backwards or incorrectly. Comment on this allegorical chapter using these questions to guide you:

(1) What happens in this chapter? Where else in the book do we find similar events and themes?

(2) What are these scene allegories for?

(3) Is there a moral lesson or resolution to these allegories? Explain why or why not.

Essay Topic 2

The Palm-wine Drinkard can be considered part of the folklore tradition. Explain, using at least three examples, why this is the case.

Essay Topic 3

This story is narrated in first person by the protagonist, the drinkard. This means that there is no explicit description of the drinkard or his personality. Based on the drinkard's action, decisions, and opinions, how would you describe the drinkard and why? Give at least three observations about him and evidence to support these observations.

(see the answer keys)

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