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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. How does Rowena respond to Sam?

2. What has sprouted from Henry's feet?

3. What does Blinn say the customers must choose carefully?

4. What does Polly resolve to do no matter what that night?

5. How did Thaddeus Blinn look?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Rowena take Henry for breakfast and how does he like it?

2. With whom does Polly play near the river and how are her friends described?

3. From what is the town's name derived?

4. What is the Coven Tree Church Social and who is allowed to set up a booth there?

5. What does Polly worry about the next morning and how is she initially reassured?

6. What does Polly overhear at Stew Meat's store and what does she decide to do?

7. What does Polly talk about at tea, and what do Eunice and Agatha talk about?

8. How does Polly impress her teacher?

9. What does Polly decide about her card and what happens?

10. Describe the discussion about Eunice and Agatha.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Over the course of "The Wish Maker", all three young people grow as a person in both complexity and understanding. "The Wish Giver" might be considered a slice of their larger story of their "coming of age." It might be said that "The Wish Giver" is a "bildungsroman" of the three young wish users. Discuss the following:

1. Define Bildungsroman, or "Coming of Age," and give several examples from literature you have read.

2. Trace and analyze the character of one of the three young people as she/he changes from a more carefree, innocent child to a wiser, young person. What are the significant events that change them?

3. After thoroughly analyzing one of the three's growth throughout "The Wish Maker", do you think "The Wish Giver" could be considered their Coming of Age story? Why or why not?

4. Are there any other characters in "The Wish Giver" who go through a Coming of Age experience? Who? Why do you think so?

Essay Topic 2

Characters are an integral and important part of almost all novels. Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast the characters of Rick and Lon. 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 Lon and Nuke. How do they seem different? Which 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 Wish Giver" help drive the plot and what their contribution is to the storyline. Are any of the secondary characters unnecessary? Indispensable? Which of the secondary characters are likable? Which are either unlikable or even despicable? Be specific and give examples.

Essay Topic 3

The central character in each tale experiences a particularly challenging confrontation with his / her inability to achieve a driving desire, impulsively uses the wishing card s/he purchased from Thaddeus Blinn, and begins to suffer the consequences of that impulse. In this context, structure and theme can be seen to interrelate, the principle of cause and effect (i.e. this action causing that reaction causing this action, and so on and so on) coming into play in order to reinforce the work's central thematic contention that blindly following impulse is dangerous.

1. Chose one of the characters of Polly, Rowena or Adam and discuss, in depths ways in which their desire could have been achieved without a wish card. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Do you think some of the consequences of using the wish card might still have happened if the characters had never met Blinn? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Do you think impulsive behavior always has negative consequences? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

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