View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How is By Ends described?

2. What does Christian do to try and save himself?

3. Which way does the path go that the black man leads Christian and Hopeful down?

4. What does Faithful say to Christian about the City of Destruction?

5. How might Christian and Hopeful clear up their situation regarding what path to choose?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens at Lucre Hill?

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

3. What does Evangelist tell Christian about Worldly Wiseman and what does Christian ask Evangelist? What is Evangelist’s answer to Christian’s question?

4. What is at the top of the mountain? Who is there?What do they ask Christian?

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

6. What does Worldly wise suggest to Christian and how does that turn out?

7. How does Christian meet Formalist and Hypocrisyand what happens to them and why?

8. How does Christian meet Goodwill and what does Goodwill do for Christian?

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

10. What happens to Christian and Hopeful after the flood on By Pass Meadow blocks them from leaving?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The journey of Christian's family is intended to show how women and children also reach salvation. The main difference in their pilgrimage is that they are attacked because of their perceived weakness and are cautioned to rely on a guide to protect them on their journey.

1. In the era of John Bunyan, women were thought to have a more difficult time obtaining salvation because they were not as educated or as capable as men. Discuss how this prevailing idea affected the way the author wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress. How are the women in the narrative presented?

2. Discuss the ways in which women are viewed differently in the modern world by most of the Western world. How do these different perspectives relate to the novel?

3. The weakness of women the author implies is one of moral courage. At this time in history, women were thought to tempt men into sin as the original incident of “Adam and Eve.” How does irony apply to this idea presented by John Bunyan?

Essay Topic 2

Many readers of fiction place themselves in the position of one character, considering whether or not they would do the same thing as that character. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think one of the values of literature is to serve as a reflection of oneself? Why or why not? Do you think that John Bunyan's beliefs and life are reflected in The Pilgrim's Process? If so, how?

2. Socrates said "Know thyself." How can reading a book such as The Pilgrim’s Progress help a reader to know him/herself? In what ways do you find yourself reflecting on your own character and abilities when reading The Pilgrim’s Progress?

3. Choose one specific incident in The Pilgrim’s Progress and compare a character's response to how you think you would respond. Would you respond differently to the circumstances? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following regarding the literary technique of the dream sequence that is employed in The Pilgrim's Progress:

1. What is a dream sequence in narrative literature? How does this term apply to the narrative in The Pilgrim's Progress?

2. What are the advantages of employing a dream sequence or frame in a novel? What are the disadvantages?

3. What does the frame of the dream sequence say about the content of the story itself?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,342 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample