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Bradstreet's "Upon the Burning of Our House"

Total questions: 18

Worksheet time: 9mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which emotion did Bradstreet NOT experience in her poem “Upon the Burning of Our House”?

a)

Sorrow

b)

Fear

c)

Gratitude

d)

Jealousy

2.

Which of the following lines is an example inversion?

a)

"It was his own, it was not mine"

b)

"And them behold no more shall I"

c)

"Raise up thy thoughts above the sky"

d)

"Farewell, my pelf, farewell, my store"

3.

Why does Bradstreet use the word pelf to define her earthly belongings?

a)

She realizes she put too much trust in her earthly possessions, which is a bad thing.

b)

She admits that she got most of her goods through deceitful dealings.

c)

At the end of the poem, she is still longing for her lost possessions.

d)

She knows that many of her goods were stolen from Native Americans.

4.

Which of the following lines contains a metaphor?

a)

"When by the ruins oft I past"

b)

"Framed by that mighty Architect"

c)

"Where oft I sat and long did lie"

d)

"And to my God my heart did cry"

5.

Which statement is NOT true for "Upon the Burning of Our House"?

a)

Bradstreet is angry at God for taking away her house.

b)

Bradstreet is sad that some of her possessions are gone.

c)

Bradstreet realizes that she cannot put her trust in earthly things.

d)

Bradstreet understands that she has a permanent, heavenly home.

6.

Upon seeing the fire, the speaker responds by praying for God’s help

a)

True

b)

False

7.

The speaker fights the temptation to blame God for this disaster.

a)

True

b)

False

8.

"When by the ruins oft I past / My sorrowing eyes aside did cast, / And here and there the places spy / Where oft I say and long did lie," these words reveal a deep conflict between--

a)

Puritan beliefs and the Word of God

b)

Puritan beliefs and human nature

c)

human nature and human conscience

d)

Puritan beliefs and personal beliefs

9.
Why does Bradstreet chide her heart?
a)
She was not focusing on God.
b)
She missed events that occurred in the house.
c)
She had longing for earthly materials she had lost.
d)
All of the answers given.
10.
The speaker's husband died in the fire that destroyed their house. 
a)
True
b)
False
11.
What is the "house on high erect" in Bradstreet's poem about her burning house?
a)
her future house here on earth
b)
her future house in heaven
c)
her neighbor's house on the hill, which she will buy
d)
the memory of her old house
12.

What the speaker regrets most is that she will not see her children grow up in that house.

a)

True

b)

False

13.

Why does the speaker believe the fire was "just"?

a)

It was revenge for a crime she had committed.

b)

Other people had lost their homes as well.

c)

They were moving anyway.

d)

Everything was God's anyway, He can give and take as He pleases.

14.

The speaker takes comfort in thoughts of the “home” God has prepared for her in Heaven.

a)

True

b)

False

15.

Where does the speaker get the inner strength to face the loss of her house?

a)

her belief that rewards are in Heaven.

b)

her anger toward God.

c)

Her family and friends.

d)

she does not have the strength to deal with what happened.

16.

What does the speaker conclude at the end of the poem?

a)

That God is vengeful and should be feared.

b)

That she should have taken more steps to prevent this disaster.

c)

That her relationship with God and belief in Heaven are the true riches in her life.

d)

The speaker leaves the conclusion to the reader.

17.

Bradstreet's poem is an example of "Puritan Plain Style." What are the characteristics of Puritan Plain Style?

a)

complex sentences

b)

embellished and ornate words.

c)

ordinary words are used to make simple, direct statements

18.

When Bradstreet says "I blest His name that gave and took," she implies that

a)

she is being punished for being her vanity

b)

material objects are God's, not hers

c)

she secretly wants all her possessions to vanish

d)

God will be happy with her if she blesses Him