NAVIGATION: Index of English 341 Materials Index of Dr. Weller's Class Material

Sample Test Questions: The Novel, Sense and Sensibility, and Jane Eyre

  1. What is the full title of Samuel Richardson's Pamela? [1]
  2. What is the similarity of the ending of Samuel Richardson's Pamela and the ending of Daniel Defoe's Moll Flanders? [1]
  3. What changes in the Eighteenth Century reading public contributed to the rise of the novel? [2]
  4. What is the date of the founding of the first subscription library in England?[1]
  5. In Sheridan's The Rivals (first produced in 1775) what kind of reading material does Lydia Languish favor?
    6. [1]
  6. What is that date of the publication of Sense and Sensibility, and to which literary era does that date belong? [2]
  7. What is that date of the publication of Jane Eyre, and to which literary era does that date belong? [2]
  8. In Sense and Sensibility what does John Dashwood originally intend to do to fulfill his promise to take care of his step-family, and what—after an extended discussion with his wife—does he actually do? [2]
  9. What role did Mrs. Smith play in Willoughby's decision to dump Marianne? [1]
  10. How old is Marianne? How old is Col. Brandon? [2]
  11. What is the attitude of the narrator of Sense and Sensibility about children? Give an example. [2]
  12. What is Robert Ferrars' professed opinion about cottages, and what does it reveal about his sense and sensibility? [2]
  13. In Mr. John Dashwood's narration of the reaction of his mother-in-law, Mrs. Ferrars, to the news of the engagement of Edward Ferrars and Lucy Steele, with whom does Mr. Dashwood sympathize, and why? [2]
  14. Explain at least two things that Lucy Steele's name suggests about her character. [2]
  15. How are the names of the characters in Sense and Sensibility similar to the names of the characters in The School for Scandal? [2]
  16. How is Lucy Steele related to the theme of sense and sensibility? Be sure to support your answer with a specific example. [2]
  17. According to our class discussion on the topic, what does Jane Austen think about the relationship between sense and sensiblity? Support your answer with at least two specific examples. [3]
  18. What is little Jane Eyre's answer when Mr. Brocklehurst asks what she must do to avoid burning in the fiery pit of hell? [1]
  19. What is Jane Eyre's answer when Mr. Rochester asks if she considers him handsome? [1]
  20. What word does Jane Eyre repeatedly use to describe her appearance? [1]
  21. What arguments does St. John use to try to get Jane to accept his marriage proposal? [2]
  22. Why does Jane refuse St. John's marriage proposal? [1]
  23. When Mr. Rochester speaks to Jane of his getting married in the near future, Jane assumes that he plans to have Blanche Ingram as his bride. What is it about Blanche Ingram that leads Jane to make this assumption? [2]
  24. When Mr. Rochester takes Jane to shop for her trousseau they have a conflict. What is it about? What is Mr. Rochester's point of view, and what is Jane's? [3]
  25. Before Jane returns to Mr. Rochester, what happens to her that makes her his equal? [1]
  26. How does the title of Sense and Sensibility connect it to the concerns of the Eighteenth Century? [1]
  27. How does the title of Jane Eyre connect it to the concerns of the Romantic Era? [1]
  28. What is a bildungsroman? Use Jane Eyre as your example of a bildungsroman. [2]
  29. From time to time the narrator of Sense and Sensibility makes comments. In general, what is the tone of those comments? Quote an example. [2]
  30. What sort of character appears in Jane Eyre and in other literature of the Romantic Era, but in no previous literature? [1]
  31. What sort of location appears in Sense and Sensibility and in other literature of the Enlightenment, but in not in Jane Eyre? [1]
  32. According to our class discussion, what quality is shared by the good characters in both of the novels? Support your assertion with an example from each novel. [3]
  33. What does St. John look like? [1]
  34. What is evil about Mrs. Reed? Give an example. [2]
  35. What is evil about Mr. Brocklehurst? Give an example. [2]
Essay Questions

  1. Discuss the way in which class and wealth affect both Jane Eyre and the Dashwood sisters.
  2. Compare and contrast the two novels in their treatment of the topic of marriage.
  3. Compare and contrast the marriages of Marianne Dashwood and Jane Eyre.
  4. Compare and contrast the admirable qualities of Elinor Dashwood and Jane Eyre.
  5. Compare and contrast the admirable qualities of Mr. Rochester and Mr. Edward Ferrars.