The Thorn Quizzes

The Thorn Quiz

1 The speaker of the poem may be identified as:

an unreliable narrator

an old sea captain

a gossip

all of the above
2 Who is supposedly buried beneath the mossy hill?

Martha Ray's baby

Stephen Hill

Wilfred

Martha Ray
3 Why didn't Martha and Stephen get married?

Their families disapproved of the union

Stephen left Martha for another woman

Martha moved away

Stephen moved away
4 "Cuts like a scythe" is an example of:

a metaphor

onomatopoeia

personification

a simile
5 The thorn is described as:

grey

old

poor

all of the above
6 "O guilty father" most likely refers to:

God

Stephen Hill

Martha Ray's father

Wilfred
7 The description of Martha as "mad" refers to:

her insanity

both her anger and insanity

her anger

neither her anger nor her insanity
8 When Martha is pregnant, her baby seems to:

cause her to have bad dreams

make her feel sick

bring her senses back again

make her upset
9 Wilfred of the glen is most likely:

Martha's former lover

an older local man

Stephen's friend

Martha's brother
10 "A melancholy crop" is an example of:

metaphor

personification

allusion

simile
11 What does the color red most likely represent in the poem?

both blood and adultery

blood

adultery

neither blood nor adultery
12 What is one of the poem's prominent themes?

Human beings are happier when they grow up and join society

Beauty and ugliness coexist both in physical nature and in human nature

Love is the most powerful feeling in the world

When one is in despair, family and friends are always there for support
13 What happened to Martha Ray's baby?

The baby was murdered

The baby was stillborn

No one knows for certain

The baby was miscarried
14 The speaker mistook Martha for:

a wild animal

a tree

a bush

a jutting crag
15 The speaker conveys the tone and style of a ballad through his use of:

onomatopoeia and allusion

metonymy and synecdoche

simile and metaphor

repetition and imagery
16 The overall tone of the poem may be described as:

joyful and hopeful

confused and afraid

angry and frustrated

somber and mysterious
17 Which of the following is not a likely reason why the little pond stirs suddenly?

Nature shudders at the idea of torturing Martha any further

The locals are imagining the event to avoid any action toward Martha

The spirit of Martha's baby is disturbed

The soil surrounding the pond is being replanted
18 Which of the following is not a theory proposed in the poem regarding Martha's baby?

Martha hanged her baby on the tree

Martha drowned her baby in the pond

The baby was stillborn

Martha gave her baby up for adoption
19 When is Martha found by her child's supposed grave?

During the summer

Night and day

In the early morning

Late at night
20 "Sober sad" is an example of:

assonance

metonymy

alliteration

onomatopoeia
21 "Thirsty suns and parching air" is an example of:

metaphor

personification

simile

synecdoche
22 The moss is compared to:

A muddy swamp

The styled hair of a child

A neglected shrub

The handwoven work of a lady
23 "A fire was kindled in her breast" is an example of:

metaphor

allusion

personification

simile
24 While the poem is from the Romantic period, it also has the macabre and superstitious elements found in ________works.

Modern

Gothic

Pre-Raphaelite

Renaissance
25 How might the speaker and the locals best be described?

Scared of Martha

Mildly sympathetic but mostly gossipy

Very worried about Martha

Vengeful and belligerent

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The Thorn study guide contains a biography of William Wordsworth, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

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