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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. Which member of the Lapham family is left alone with Tom Corey when he visits the site of their new Beacon Street house in Chapter Four?
2. To whom does Silas Lapham loan money in Chapter Ten?
3. At the beginning of Chapter Eleven, who does Tom Corey suggest his father meet?
4. Why does Anna Corey think Tom's marriage to Irene Lapham would be worse than his joining the Lapham paint business?
5. Why do the Laphams come to believe their home in Boston is in an unfashionable neighborhood?
Short Essay Questions
1. Describe Bromfield Corey's life and how it differs from Silas Lapham's.
2. Describe Tom Corey's discussion with his mother in Chapter Eight about his entering Silas Lapham's paint business.
3. How has Persis Lapham supported her husband and his business over the years and how does Lapham honor her for her support?
4. How does Penelope react to Tom Corey's visits in Chapter Eleven, and what does her behavior indicate?
5. Which Lapham sister does Tom Corey talk about when he visits the Laphams and which one does he not talk about, and what do his conversational tendencies indicate?
6. What indication is there in Chapter Ten that Tom Corey might prefer Penelope Lapham over her sister Irene?
7. What is Silas Lapham's relationship with Milton Rogers and what disagreement do Silas and Persis have over Lapham's dealings with Rogers?
8. What information is revealed about Zerrilla Dewey in Chapter Eight and what does Walker the bookkeeper seem to imply about her relationship with Silas Lapham?
9. How does Silas Lapham feel about having Tom Corey work for him, and how does he feel about Tom's work?
10. When Tom Corey comes to their new home's construction site, why do the Laphams leave him alone with Irene?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Discuss the meaning of the book's title. It indicates that Silas Lapham will rise during the course of the book, yet he falls financially, so what kind of rise does Silas experience and what incidents in the book illustrate that rise? What theme do you think William Dean Howells is trying to convey through the protagonist's fall and rise in this book? Cite at least three examples from the text to support your arguments.
Essay Topic 2
Discuss the theme of self sacrifice in The Rise of Silas Lapham. Cite examples from the text to support your arguments.
Essay Topic 3
Discuss the themes of self help and self sufficiency in The Rise of Silas Lapham. Which character or characters illustrate these themes? What does the author seem to be saying about these themes in the novel? Cite examples from the text to support your arguments.
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This section contains 1,095 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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