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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 Faithful say to Christian about the City of Destruction?

2. By whom was Faithful beaten?

3. What kind of revelation does Christian have?

4. What does By Ends think is possible?

5. What is the name of the key Christian uses to escape the giant?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Evangelist tell Faithful and Christian about the city they are about to enter?

2. Where does Christian meet Timorous and Mistrust and why is it nightfall before he gets to the top of the mountain?

3. Into what do Christian and Pliable accidentally walk and what is the outcome of that accident?

4. What do the shepherds show Christian and Hopeful?

5. Where do Christian and Hopeful get confused and who leads them away?

6. What story does Christian tell Hopeful and the person in question 23?

7. What does Talkative tell Christian and Faithful and what does Christian say about Talkative? What does Faithful say once he understands Talkative?

8. What happens at Lucre Hill?

9. Who do Christian and Hopeful meet after they leave the shepherds? What does that person say to them?What is Christian’s response?

10. What does Christian pass on his way through the valley and what does he do about it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Pilgrim’s Progress belongs to the religious allegory genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give examples of three other genres in addition to the religious allegory genre.

2. What are other examples of religious allegories? In what ways to they compare with The Pilgrim's Progress?

3. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre. How does this apply to The Pilgrim's Progress?

3. What are the key differences between a religious allegory and a historical novel or a mystery novel?

Essay Topic 2

Few works in literature present so effectively what it means to be committed to a cause or belief. In The Pilgrim's Progress, the world is filled with snares and diversions which may keep Christian from realizing his purpose. In an age like our own, when distractions and temptations keep many young people from realizing their potential, The Pilgrim's Progress stands apart, celebrating the courage and resolve needed for a person to do what he believes is right and good.

1. Compare the rigid theology of the Christians in the 1600s to a modern religion that seems to be just as rigid. How are the tenets of each religion similar? How are they different?

2. Discuss the ways in which The Pilgrim’s Progress might be used to teach determination and perseverance. What characters embody these traits?

3. How would you compare the distractions and temptations in The Pilgrim’s Progress to modern issues the young have to face?

Essay Topic 3

The narrative style of a work of literature refers to the perspective from which the story is told. Answer and discuss the following:

1. Is the narrative in The Pilgrim's Progress related from a first, second, or third-person perspective? What are the advantages and the disadvantages of this narrative perspective?

2. Is the novel related in the present or past tense? Why is the tense of the narrative important in analyzing a work of literature?

3. Is the narrator of the novel a reliable one? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,078 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample