The Thorn Quizzes

The Thorn Quiz

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

a gossip

an unreliable narrator

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

Martha Ray's baby

Wilfred

Stephen Hill
3 Why didn't Martha and Stephen get married?
Stephen left Martha for another woman

Their families disapproved of the union

Martha moved away

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

onomatopoeia

a simile

a metaphor
5 The thorn is described as:
poor

old

grey

all of the above
6 "O guilty father" most likely refers to:
Martha Ray's father

God

Stephen Hill

Wilfred
7 The description of Martha as "mad" refers to:
neither her anger nor her insanity

both her anger and insanity

her insanity

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

cause her to have bad dreams

bring her senses back again

make her feel sick
9 Wilfred of the glen is most likely:
Martha's brother

Stephen's friend

Martha's former lover

an older local man
10 "A melancholy crop" is an example of:
metaphor

allusion

personification

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

Love is the most powerful feeling in the world

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

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

The baby was stillborn

The baby was murdered

No one knows for certain
14 The speaker mistook Martha for:
a wild animal

a bush

a jutting crag

a tree
15 The speaker conveys the tone and style of a ballad through his use of:
simile and metaphor

repetition and imagery

metonymy and synecdoche

onomatopoeia and allusion
16 The overall tone of the poem may be described as:
angry and frustrated

confused and afraid

somber and mysterious

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

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
18 Which of the following is not a theory proposed in the poem regarding Martha's baby?
The baby was stillborn

Martha hanged her baby on the tree

Martha drowned her baby in the pond

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

During the summer

In the early morning

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

assonance

alliteration

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

synecdoche

metaphor

simile
22 The moss is compared to:
A muddy swamp

The handwoven work of a lady

The styled hair of a child

A neglected shrub
23 "A fire was kindled in her breast" is an example of:
allusion

metaphor

personification

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

Gothic

Pre-Raphaelite

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

Mildly sympathetic but mostly gossipy

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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