The Thorn Quizzes

The Thorn Quiz

1 The speaker of the poem may be identified as:

a gossip

an old sea captain

an unreliable narrator

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

Wilfred

Stephen Hill

Martha Ray

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

Martha moved away

Stephen left Martha for another woman

Stephen moved away

Their families disapproved of the union
4 "Cuts like a scythe" is an example of:

personification

onomatopoeia

a metaphor

a simile
5 The thorn is described as:

old

poor

grey

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

God

Stephen Hill

Wilfred

Martha Ray's father
7 The description of Martha as "mad" refers to:

her insanity

neither her anger nor her insanity

both her anger and insanity

her anger
8 When Martha is pregnant, her baby seems to:

make her feel sick

cause her to have bad dreams

bring her senses back again

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

an older local man

Stephen's friend

Martha's former lover

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

allusion

simile

personification

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

neither blood nor adultery

blood

both blood and adultery

adultery
12 What is one of the poem's prominent themes?

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

Love is the most powerful feeling in the world
13 What happened to Martha Ray's baby?

No one knows for certain

The baby was murdered

The baby was stillborn

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:

metonymy and synecdoche

simile and metaphor

onomatopoeia and allusion

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

somber and mysterious

confused and afraid

joyful and hopeful

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

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

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?

The baby was stillborn

Martha gave her baby up for adoption

Martha drowned her baby in the pond

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

Late at night

Night and day

In the early morning

During the summer
20 "Sober sad" is an example of:

alliteration

metonymy

assonance

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

personification

simile

metaphor

synecdoche
22 The moss is compared to:

A neglected shrub

The styled hair of a child

The handwoven work of a lady

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

metaphor

allusion

simile

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

Pre-Raphaelite

Renaissance

Gothic

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

Mildly sympathetic but mostly gossipy

Scared of Martha

Vengeful and belligerent

Very worried about 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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