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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 does Stew Meat ignore when he goes into Thaddeus' tent?

2. How does Sam view Henry Piper?

3. What is one theme the prologue says is explored?

4. From what point of view is this tale written?

5. What does Rowena suggest to her mother?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Polly go ahead and ask her mother and what is her mother's response?

2. What does Polly want to ask her mother and why is she reluctant to do so?

3. Describe the discussion about Eunice and Agatha.

4. What does Polly realize has happened?

5. What does Polly resolve to do concerning Agatha and Eunice, and how is her first attempt disastrous?

6. What does Stew Meat do with his card?

7. How does Henry act when he arrives the next day?

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

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

10. What do Agatha and Eunice try to do at tea the next day and how does Polly respond?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

Essay Topic 2

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and often times the other way. Some books 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?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

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

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think The Wish Giveris? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 3

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Bill Brittain.

2. What in Brittain's background may have helped him in writing "The Wish Maker"? What may have influenced the way he depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.

(see the answer keys)

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