The Thorn Quizzes

The Thorn Quiz

1 The speaker of the poem may be identified as:
an old sea captain

an unreliable narrator

a gossip

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

Martha Ray's baby

Stephen Hill

Wilfred
3 Why didn't Martha and Stephen get married?
Martha moved away

Their families disapproved of the union

Stephen moved away

Stephen left Martha for another woman
4 "Cuts like a scythe" is an example of:
personification

onomatopoeia

a simile

a metaphor
5 The thorn is described as:
grey

poor

old

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

God

Martha Ray's father

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

her anger

both her anger and insanity

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

bring her senses back again

cause her to have bad dreams

make her upset
9 Wilfred of the glen is most likely:
Stephen's friend

Martha's brother

an older local man

Martha's former lover
10 "A melancholy crop" is an example of:
personification

metaphor

allusion

simile
11 What does the color red most likely represent in the poem?
neither blood nor adultery

both blood and adultery

blood

adultery
12 What is one of the poem's prominent themes?
Love is the most powerful feeling in the world

When one is in despair, family and friends are always there for support

Human beings are happier when they grow up and join society

Beauty and ugliness coexist both in physical nature and in human nature
13 What happened to Martha Ray's baby?
The baby was murdered

No one knows for certain

The baby was stillborn

The baby was miscarried
14 The speaker mistook Martha for:
a wild animal

a bush

a tree

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:
somber and mysterious

angry and frustrated

confused and afraid

joyful and hopeful
17 Which of the following is not a likely reason why the little pond stirs suddenly?
The soil surrounding the pond is being replanted

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

The spirit of Martha's baby is disturbed

Nature shudders at the idea of torturing Martha any further
18 Which of the following is not a theory proposed in the poem regarding Martha's baby?
Martha drowned her baby in the pond

Martha gave her baby up for adoption

The baby was stillborn

Martha hanged her baby on the tree
19 When is Martha found by her child's supposed grave?
In the early morning

Night and day

During the summer

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

assonance

onomatopoeia

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

synecdoche

simile

metaphor
22 The moss is compared to:
The styled hair of a child

A neglected shrub

The handwoven work of a lady

A muddy swamp
23 "A fire was kindled in her breast" is an example of:
allusion

personification

simile

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

Pre-Raphaelite

Gothic

Renaissance
25 How might the speaker and the locals best be described?
Very worried about Martha

Mildly sympathetic but mostly gossipy

Vengeful and belligerent

Scared of Martha

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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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