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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 Brian think no one likes him?

2. What is used to lift the boat into the water?

3. Aside from Sophie, how many people are going on the sailing trip across the ocean?

4. Who is Sophie going to visit on the other side of the ocean?

5. Where do Cody and Sophie go, while Uncle Dock is tinkering with the electrics?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Sophie's mother do?

2. What does Sophie initially plan to do the last day of school?

3. What chore will Sophie have to take a turn at that she's not looking forward to?

4. What does Uncle Dock do, when the fog comes in, and how does it affect Sophie?

5. Describe Uncle Stew.

6. How do the dolphins act when they come up to the boat?

7. Why does everyone react strangely when Sophie explains what she plans to teach?

8. What does Uncle Dock give Sophie's mother, that encourages Sophie's mother to let her daughter go on the trip?

9. Describe the nightmare the narrator has.

10. What does Sophie think of the boat when she first sees it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sophie is a young adolescent as the novel begins, and the journey she takes is part of the process of growing up. Discuss growing up in the novel.

1) How does Sophie grow as a result of her journey? What steps does she take toward becoming an adult?

2) How does Cody grow up as a result of the journey on The Wanderer? How does he change?

3) What have Sophie's uncles lost and gained in the process of growing up? What does Sophie learn about growing up from talking to them?

Essay Topic 2

Death is central to the novel. Discuss death in the novel.

1) How does Sophie react to killing fish on the journey? What is her attitude toward the death of fish?

2) How does Sophie deal with the death of her parents and grandfather? How does she deal with the impending death of Bompie?

3) How do the characters deal with the prospects of their own deaths?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss men and women's roles in the novel.

1) Why does Sophie get angry when she is cast in a traditional women's role? Why does she want to do tasks that are traditionally male?

2) How does Cody react to implications that his tasks of cooking and cleaning are traditionally women's tasks? Why does he respond this way?

3) What is the author saying about traditional roles of men and women in society?

(see the answer keys)

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