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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 has changed at the House Beautiful since Christian was there?

2. What does the Interpreter do before the group leaves his house in Part 2?

3. What does the author relate about the first part of the book in the beginning of Part 2?

4. Whom does Mr. Mnason’s daughter, Martha, marry?

5. What has happened to Sloth, Simple, and Presumption in Part 2?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Honest tell them about Fearing and how does the group feel after hearing that story?

2. What is on the hill that commemorates something, and what does it commemorate?

3. What happens to the group when they leave Goodwill’s house?

4. How does the group earn the gratitude of Vanity’s townspeople and what has happened while the group is staying in Vanity?

5. Why is Mercy worried about the journey?

6. What does the group’s rescuer tell them and where do they go next? What do they see there first?

7. Where does the group lodge in Vanity? Why do they stay there? What happens with his two daughters?

8. What does the group see as they come to House Beautiful and how did Christian deal with it? How does Great Heart deal with it?

9. Where does the group stop shortly after meeting Honest and what are they told there?

10. What does the Interpreter show the group that he did not show Christian?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Although the characters in The Pilgrim's Progress are allegorical representations of ideas, temptations, and assets, they are an integral aspect of the novel. Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast the characters of Christian and Great Heart. How are they similar? How are they different? Is there a flaw in each of their personalities? Be specific and give examples.

2. Compare/contrast the characters of Christiana and Mercy. How do they seem different? Who do you like more? Why? Which one seems more of a well-rounded character?

3. Thoroughly analyze how three of the secondary characters in The Pilgrim’s Progress help drive the plot and what their contribution is to the storyline. Are any of the secondary characters unnecessary? Be specific and give examples.

Essay Topic 2

Some books embody character-driven plots while others are action driven. Still others seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven? Which of these styles do you think that The Pilgrim's Progress falls into?

2. In what ways does plot structure differ between works that are character driven versus action driven? How is this illustrated in The Pilgrim's Progress?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

Essay Topic 3

When Christian leaves the Valley of the Shadow of Death, he sees the caves of Pope and Pagan, both of which are dead or dying. The Pagan represents the European religions that predate Christianity while the Pope represents the Catholic religion, which Christian, as a Protestant Englishman, has rejected. This same idea is repeated when Christian and Faithful reach Vanity Fair.

1. Discuss how the various religions of the world have produced conflict over doctrine. How are these conflicts illustrated in The Pilgrim’s Progress?

2. What do you see as the difficulties in a religion which has many different beliefs, depending on the sect? How does the author explore these difficulties in the novel?

3. Catholics have persecuted Protestants, and Protestants, when in power, have persecuted Catholics. Discuss how the anger and violence of religious conflict relates to the ultimate message of a loving God which the Christian faith espouses. Use examples from Pilgrim’s Progress to support your answer.

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