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

Martha Ray's baby

Stephen Hill

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

Stephen moved away

Their families disapproved of the union

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

personification

onomatopoeia

a metaphor
5 The thorn is described as:
old

poor

grey

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 anger

both her anger and insanity

neither her anger nor her insanity

her insanity
8 When Martha is pregnant, her baby seems to:
bring her senses back again

make her feel sick

cause her to have bad dreams

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

Martha's former lover

an older local man

Stephen's friend
10 "A melancholy crop" is an example of:
simile

metaphor

personification

allusion
11 What does the color red most likely represent in the poem?
both blood and adultery

blood

neither blood nor adultery

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

Human beings are happier when they grow up and join society

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

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

a wild animal

a bush

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

onomatopoeia and allusion

simile and metaphor

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

angry and frustrated

somber and mysterious

confused and afraid
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 spirit of Martha's baby is disturbed

Nature shudders at the idea of torturing Martha any further

The locals are imagining the event to avoid any action toward Martha
18 Which of the following is not a theory proposed in the poem regarding Martha's baby?
Martha drowned her baby in the pond

The baby was stillborn

Martha gave her baby up for adoption

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

During the summer

Night and day

In the early morning
20 "Sober sad" is an example of:
metonymy

alliteration

onomatopoeia

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

metaphor

simile

personification
22 The moss is compared to:
The handwoven work of a lady

A muddy swamp

A neglected shrub

The styled hair of a child
23 "A fire was kindled in her breast" is an example of:
simile

metaphor

allusion

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

Modern

Gothic

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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