Question

name__ date score__/14
w.d. wetherells \the bass, the river, and sheila mant\ (1981) quiz
directions: write the letter for the best answer on the line.

1. what is the setting of the short story?

a. a summer by a river in new england
b. a summer by the beach in maryland
c. a summer on an island in hawaii
d. a summer on the boardwalk in virginia

1. who or what is the protagonist of the short story?

a. a 14 - year - old boy
b. eric caswell
c. sheila mant

1. what is the central conflict of the short story?

a. person vs nature
b. person vs person
c. person vs self
d. person vs society

1. what is the point of view of the short story?

a. 1st person - the narrator tells their own story.
b. 3rd person limited - the narrator exists outside the story but narrates one characters feelings.
c. 3rd person objective - the narrator exists outside the story and doesnt narrate anyones feelings.
d. 3rd person omniscient - the narrator exists outside the story but narrates a few characters feelings.

1. what is a moral of the short story?

a. be who others want you to be, not whom you want to be.
b. dont learn from experiences and mistakes to make better decisions in the future.
c. idolize someone without getting to know them well.
d. prioritize your passions and interests over seeking external validation.

1. the story is considered a \coming of age\ work. how does the protagonist come of age?

a. the protagonist enters puberty and physically becomes an adult.
b. the protagonist graduates from high school and is now free to make his own adult choices.
c. the protagonist learns a valuable, adult lesson about life and matures psychologically.
d. the protagonist turns eighteen and becomes a legal adult according to his country.

1. what character archetype does the protagonist best exemplify?

a. a fool
b. a monster/villain
c. a rebel
d. a trickster

1. what literary or narrative device does the resolution exemplify?

a. an ambiguous/unresolved ending - an ending that is open to interpretation
b. an expanded ending/epilogue - an ending that expands the world of the story beyond its events
c. a resolved ending - an ending that leaves the reader with no lingering questions or loose ends
d. a tied ending - an ending that brings the story \full circle\; it ends where it begins

1. by the resolution, is the protagonist a dynamic or static character?

a. the protagonist is dynamic because he learns to be true to himself and his identity.
b. the protagonist is dynamic because he learns how to better impress women in the future.
c. the protagonist is static because he does not reflect on these summer decisions and memories.
d. the protagonist is static because he does not regret the choices he made that day.

1. what can the bass symbolize to the teenage boy?

a. desire and infatuation
b. his need to impress others
c. his passion and true self
d. sheilas admiration and respect

Explanation:

1. The setting of "The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant" is a summer by a river in New England. This is a key - element in understanding the story's atmosphere.
2. The protagonist is a 14 - year - old boy who experiences a coming - of - age moment.
3. The central conflict is person vs self as the boy struggles with his choices and desires.
4. The point of view is 1st Person as the narrator tells his own story.
5. A moral is to prioritize your passions and interests over seeking external validation, which is shown through the boy's regret.
6. The protagonist comes of age by learning a valuable, adult lesson about life and maturing psychologically.
7. The protagonist best exemplifies a fool as he makes naive choices.
8. The resolution is an ambiguous/unresolved ending, leaving room for interpretation.
9. The protagonist is dynamic because he learns to be true to himself and his identity.
10. The bass can symbolize his passion and true self, representing what he values deep down.

Answer:

1. a. a summer by a river in New England
2. a. a 14 - year - old boy
3. c. person vs self
4. a. 1st Person - The narrator tells their own story.
5. d. Prioritize your passions and interests over seeking external validation
6. c. The protagonist learns a valuable, adult lesson about life and matures psychologically.
7. a. a fool
8. a. an ambiguous/unresolved ending - an ending that is open to interpretation
9. a. The protagonist is dynamic because he learns to be true to himself and his identity.
10. c. his passion and true self