Transcendentalism and Gothic Literature
Multiple Choice – Part I
1. What is the philosophy of transcendentalism?
a. in order to become closer to nature and to God, one must find the god within himself
b. to discover the “truth,” one must use his or her intuition to transcend beyond the physical realm
c. simply living on earth is not enough; we must make the best of our lives while here
d. the only way to create peace and harmony in mankind is to spend more time among nature
2. Who was the father of transcendentalism?
a. Whitman
b. Dickinson
c. Emerson
d. Thoreau
3. According to the transcendentalists, everything in the world was a reflection of
a. Intuition
b. Jesus
c. the Divine Soul
d. each other
4. The transcendentalists would say that the physical facts of the natural world are
a. are a doorway to the spiritual or ideal world
b. not the most important things in life
c. are a hindrance to recognizing God
d. privileges that we can easily live without
5. Transcendentalists said that people should use what two human abilities to find God’s spirit?
a. insight and gut feelings
b. emotion and gut feelings
c. insight and emotion
d. intuition and emotion
6. Where could one find God’s spirit according to transcendentalists?
a. in nature
b. in one’s own soul
c. both choices “a” and “b”
d. none of the above
7. What two qualities did transcendentalists say must outweigh external authority and blind conformity?
a. friendliness and Godliness
b. self reliance and individualism
c. government and the law
d. faith in one’s self and in the government
8. If humans truly engaged their intuition, they could achieve an apotheosis or ______?
a. a better sense of nature
b. become god
c. learn to understand one another
d. realize that we are actually all the same
9. In Emerson’s “Nature,” what is he saying about nature in general when he says, “If the stars would appear one night in a thousand years, how men believe and adore…”?
a. people would actually learn to appreciate nature
b. everyone would learn all their constellations
c. people would be so shocked that they would never appreciate nature again
d. none of the above
10. True or False: According to Emerson, few children actually possess the ability to “see” nature.
a. True
b. False
c. I don’t know
d. I want to fail this test
11. True or False: According to Emerson, it is necessary to use nature with great temperance; otherwise, you won’t get everything out of the experience that you could have.
a. True
b. False
c. I still don’t know
d. I really want to fail this test
12. In Emerson’s “Self Reliance,” he says that none but oneself knows that which he can do, nor…
a. can he do it if he follows in other people footsteps
b. does he realize that until later in life
c. will he know until he connects with nature
d. does he know until he has tried
13. In “Self Reliance,” when does Emerson say that man is happiest?
a. when he has gained a valuable connection with nature
b. when transcendentalism is his philosophy
c. when he has put his heart into his work and done his best
d. when he is working toward accomplishing something charitable
14. Emerson’s main point in “Self Reliance” is that we should each…?
a. trust thyself
b. begin to work toward perfection through 13 virtues
c. work together to get back to nature
d. work together to reach god
15. What point is Emerson trying to make when he states that “to be great is to be misunderstood”?
a. the greatest thinkers are not always right
b. society always sees the greatest thinkers first, even before that person realizes he or she will be great
c. often when someone is striving to be great, he or she is considered an outcast
d. even when society is not on your side, you should continue to work to be misunderstood
16. In Thoreau’s “Walden,” what is his primary purpose in going into the woods?
a. to live so as to not feel, when he died, that he had not taken advantage of what life had to offer
b. to write a book
c. to avoid people
d. to live close to nature
17. What does Thoreau mean when he says he’s determined to know beans?
a. he’s a vegetarian and will only eat beans
b. he wishes to become so close to Nature that he actually has a relationship with it
c. he feels like his life doesn’t add up to “a hill of beans”
d. he would rather be farming than doing anything else
18. Why does Thoreau find the “ant war” so fascinating?
a. its so brutal and gruesome
b. the ants fight harder than any other animal he’s ever seen
c. he feels as though they’re fighting for nothing
d. he finds their war no different than a war between humans
19. What is your interpretation of the following quote: “The surface of the earth is soft and impressible by the feet of men; and so with the paths which the mind travels…how deep the ruts of tradition and conformity!”?
a. the ones we hurt the most are the ones we love
b. stay on the straight and narrow path since it’s the easiest to follow
c. if we learn to trust each other, then we can rise up form the ashes of conformity
d. if we stay stuck in the same rut for our entire lives, then we’ll never branch out or become great
20. In Thoreau’s “Resistance to Civil Government,” why does he not pay his poll tax?
a. he feels that there should be no taxation without representation
b. he does not agree with the government’s wishes to start a war with Mexico
c. he did not earn enough money in order to pay them
d. he doesn’t think the government should have his money because they’re not a democracy
21. Why does Thoreau not believe he has done anything wrong by avoiding this tax?
a. he feels the government doesn’t have its peoples’ best interests in mind
b. he thinks that he’s doing the public a great service by not paying his taxes
c. he feels that the government already has enough tax money
d. he thinks the government is cheating the people
22. According to Thoreau, why does majority rule in a democracy?
a. because a majority rule and a democracy are the same thing
b. because a democracy is always right
c. because the majority says what stays and goes
d. because the majority is the strongest
23. In Thoreau’s opinion, when is the only time resisting one’s government is the right thing to do?
a. when you don’t agree with it
b. when it is hurting the ones you love
c. only when you have the best interests of the government in mind
d. only when the government is doing something morally wrong
Matching – Part I: Match the term to its appropriate definition.
a. moodb. allusion c. internal rhyme d. alliteration e. assonance a. parable
24. rhyme that occurs within the lines or repetition of end rhyme within the lines of a poem
25. the repetition of a vowel sound within consecutive words
26. a short story designed to teach a life lesson or principle
27. a literary reference to famous people, events, or literature in history or culture
28. the repetition of a consonant sound within consecutive words
29. the actual feeling the author wishes the audience to feel or sense in the work
Gothic Literature:
“The Raven”
30. In Poe’s “The Raven,” why does the speaker wish for Lenore to remain “nameless here forevermore”?
a. her memory is painful to him, so he would rather her name remain unspoken
b. she left him, so he wants to remember no part of her
c. he’s found another love to replace her
d. he’s forgotten her name and doesn’t want anyone to notice
31. What’s the meaning of the raven perching upon the “pallid bust of Pallis”?
a. the raven is a symbol from old Greek and Roman mythology
b. the raven was Pallas Athena’s pet bird in Greek mythology
c. the raven knows something that the speaker is not clued in to
d. it’s just a place for the bird to sit
32. What final hope is destroyed by the Raven’s word, “Nevermore!”
a. Lenore has decided to marry the narrator
b. He will see Lenore that night because he will die
c. A ship is coming to the harbor to bring Lenore home
d. The raven and Lenore’s memory will never leave
33. What effect does the raven’s repetition “Nevermore” have on the speaker?
a. It plunges him into a deeper, endless despair.
b. It helps him recall fond memories of Lenore.
c. It reminds him that he can find the courage to go on.
d. It does not distract him from his studies.
34. What does the raven symbolize in Poe’s poem?
a. a spirit from the past, come back to haunt the narrator
b. the wishes of the narrator’s lost love, Lenoir
c. a dark and evil bird
d. the undying grief that the narrator obsesses over and allows to consume his soul
“The Fall of the House of Usher”
35. The narrator’s first impression of the House of Usher is of a building that
a. promises the exciting adventure he longs for
b. somehow stands upright in spite of obvious decay
c. brings back bitter memories of his youth
d. reminds him of pleasant times at school
36. Roderick Usher seems to be suffering mainly from
a. a nervous disorder that affects his sensory reactions
b. an inability to handle his household responsibilities
c. poverty, resulting from poor business management
d. guilt over the bad feelings between him and Madeline
37. Madeline’s fate comes about because Roderick and the narrator bury her alive since they mistake her
a. dislike of intrusions by visitors, which drives her toward death when the narrator arrives
b. disease which causes deathlike trances for her actual death
c. letter she has sent to the narrator telling him she is near death
d. interpretation of a nightmare that reveals where she will eventually be buried
38. Which of the following statements best describes the symbol throughout the story?
a. the house is a symbol for both itself and the Usher family
b. the house is a symbol for the Usher family and the narrator
c. Madeline is a symbol for death and revenge
d. the lake the house sits on is a symbol for a watery grave
“The Minister’s Black Veil”
39. What kind of reactions do Mr. Hooper’s parishioners have toward his wearing of the black veil?
a. they are refreshed by the new Mr. Hooper
b. they can’t ever listen to his sermons because they’re looking at the veil
c. they are not sure what to think
d. they are horrified at what they see their pastor wearing
40. Who is the only person that possesses the individual resolve to ask Rev. Hooper to remove the black veil?
a. his congregation
b. Goodman Grey
c. Rev. Mr. Clark
d. his pledged wife to be, Elizabeth
41. What does Rev. Hooper’s black veil symbolize?
a. the “veil” that we all wear to hide who we really are from those around us
b. the “veil” that separates this life and the afterlife
c. both choices “a” and “b”
d. none of the above
42. Rev. Hooper refuses to remove his veil even just before death because…
a. he was afraid that others wouldn’t recognize him
b. the point, which is people hid behind veils their entire life and never show others who they really are, would be lost
c. he couldn’t stand it for someone to see him, especially after all these years
d. none of the above