A Ladder to the Sky Quiz

Take our free A Ladder to the Sky quiz below, with 25 multiple choice questions that help you test your knowledge. Determine which chapters, themes and styles you already know and what you need to study for your upcoming essay, midterm, or final exam. Take the free quiz now!

Why does Erich tell Oskar that his painting of Alysse is almost pornographic in nature? (from Part 1: Before the Wall Came Down)

Her pose is highly suggestive and beckons the view to lust after her.

He thinks that the painting is merely sexual in nature and not very good.

He is worried that Oskar will get caught by the Nazis for painting a naked woman.

He is jealous of the passion that Oskar has captured both in real life and on the canvas.

Why does Dash say that Maurice did not need Erich's permission to tell his story? (from Interlude: The Swallow's Nest)

He says the book was a work of fiction so it was not really Erich's story anyway.

He believes that writers must tell whatever story captures their soul regardless of who might get hurt.

He says that Gore did the same thing with other historical figures, so it should not matter.

He believes Erich committed a heinous crime and needed to be exposed.

What does Boyne mean when he writes that Maurice was like "the work of a mediocre painter, [that] might look good on an initial viewing but would eventually reveal itself to be holding little substance beneath the brushstrokes" (101)? (from Interlude: The Swallow's Nest)

Maurice was a handsome man that attracted attention, but underneath his character was shallow.

Maurice put on a good show for everyone, but he only got published because he used other writers to get him what he wanted.

Maurice's fancy facade and youth would soon fade and then he would no longer be able to use his sex appeal to get what he wanted.

Maurice pretended to know what he was doing, but he really was not a good writer.

Why is Maurice so put off by Garrett Colby's stories about talking animals? (from Part 2: The Tribesman)

He dislikes animals in general and tries to completely stay away from them.

He just thinks Garrett is obnoxious so he hates his stories too.

He thinks the whole concept is silly and therefore assumes Garrett has no ability or future in writing.

He actually thinks Garrett's stories are wonderful children's books.

Whose stories does Maurice tell? (from Part 3: Other People's Stories)

He tells the stories belonging to Erich, Edith, Dash and Daniel.

He tells not only his story, but those of Erich, Edith, Dash and Daniel.

He really only tells his own story.

He tells the story of every truly ambitious person in the literary world.