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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. Why does Essun suggest that the orogenes should stay awake all night as Castrima navigates the stone forest?

2. To what did Houwha say he felt allegiance during the field trip through Syl Anagist?

3. What does Ykka do with the defiant soldier from Rennanis?

4. From where is Hoa narrating the novel?

5. How do the people of Castrima contain the captive soldiers from Rennanis in the first two chapters of the novel?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do the Conductors want Kelenli to help the tuners with?

2. Why must the orogenes be controlled, according to Schaffa?

3. Why is everyone in Castrima covered with ash during Chapter 1?

4. What causes the Guardians Umber and Nida to attack Nassun?

5. Where is Hoa while he narrates the novel?

6. How does Hoa describe magic in Syl Anagist: Four?

7. Why can the stone eaters track Nassun?

8. What happened to Essun’s arm before the beginning of the novel?

9. When Schaffa and Nassun arrive at Old Man's Pucker, they camp outside the forest before heading in to look for the Station. Why?

10. What does Essun realize about her relationship with Hoa after he shows her Jija's body?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The tuners ultimately decide to end sylanagistine civilization in response to the atrocity of the briar patch. Argue whether this is a justifiable response, using citations from the text and your own reasoning. On what basis should we evaluate the tuners’ behavior? How responsible are they for the unforeseen effects of their plan?

Essay Topic 2

Hoa suggests that he ‘wants’ to remember Kelenli as resembling Essun and likewise wants to remember Gallat as resembling Schaffa. What does this desire tell us about Hoa’s attitudes towards those characters? What similarities are there in the roles those characters play in his life?

Essay Topic 3

Like our protagonists, Father Earth has known exploitation and loss. Explain how Jemisin uses Father Earth as a foil to Nassun, Essun or Hoa. What makes Father Earth an antagonist? What leads him to change his ways? How does his character arc compare to the protagonist’s?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 605 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample