Chapter XVI. The State Dinner. Practice Quiz — The Prince and the Pauper
by Mark Twain — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Chapter XVI. The State Dinner.
How does Tom feel about the state dinner as Chapter 16 opens?
Surprisingly calm — the thought brings "but slight discomfort" and "hardly any terror." His morning experiences have built up his confidence significantly.
What metaphor does Twain use to describe Tom in his new surroundings?
He calls Tom a "poor little ash-cat" in a "strange garret," evoking Cinderella-like fairy-tale imagery of a lowly person placed in grand circumstances.
According to Twain, why has Tom adapted so quickly to royal life?
Twain credits a child's natural "facility in accommodating itself to circumstances," saying Tom adjusted in four days better than a mature person could in a full month.
Describe the banqueting room where the state dinner is held.
A spacious apartment with gilded pillars and pilasters, pictured walls and ceilings, tall guards in rich costumes bearing halberds, a high gallery with musicians, and a raised platform for the king's table.
What elaborate ritual precedes the laying of the table?
Servants kneel three times with "the utmost veneration" before spreading the tablecloth, then a second pair kneels three times before placing salt, a plate, and bread. Two nobles then prostrate themselves three times before rubbing the table with bread and salt.
What literary technique does Twain use to describe the banquet rituals?
He quotes directly from an "ancient chronicler," blending his fictional narrative with documentary historical prose to lend authenticity to the ceremonial descriptions.
What sounds announce Tom's arrival at the state dinner?
A bugle blast and the cry "Place for the King! Way for the King's most excellent majesty!" growing nearer, followed by twelve trumpets and many drums saluting with "a great burst of welcome."
Who is in the procession that accompanies Tom into the banqueting room?
Gentlemen, Barons, Earls, Knights of the Garter (all bareheaded), the Chancellor carrying the royal sceptre and Sword of State, and Tom's guard of honour — fifty Gentlemen Pensioners with gilt battle-axes.
How does Tom acknowledge the crowd's greeting at the state dinner?
With a slight inclination of his plumed head and the courteous words, "I thank ye, my good people."
What is notable about Tom eating with his cap on?
Eating with one's cap on is proper royal custom, but it also happens to be the one table manner the Canty family shares with royalty — so Tom does it naturally without any embarrassment.
Who are the Yeomen of the Guard, and what is their role at the dinner?
They are described as "the tallest and mightiest men in England, carefully selected in this regard." They enter bareheaded in scarlet with golden roses on their backs, carrying each course of dishes to the table.
What precaution is taken against poison during the state dinner?
A taster gives each Yeoman of the Guard a mouthful to eat of the particular dish he has brought before it is placed on the table, "for fear of any poison."
What simile does Twain use to describe how the crowd watches Tom eat?
He says their interest could not have been more intense "if it had been a deadly explosive and was expected to blow him up and scatter him all about the place."
What two things is Tom careful to do (and not do) during the meal?
He is careful not to hurry, and equally careful not to do anything for himself — he waits until the proper official kneels down and does it for him.
How does Twain describe Tom's completion of the state dinner?
As a "flawless and precious triumph" — Tom gets through the entire meal without a single mistake.
Why does Twain say Tom bore himself "right gracefully" at the dinner?
Because Tom was not thinking about how he was doing it — his mind was charmed by the sights and sounds — and because "nobody can be very ungraceful in nicely-fitting beautiful clothes after he has grown a little used to them."
What is the dramatic irony of the state dinner scene?
The entire court performs elaborate ceremonies of reverence and obedience for someone they believe is the king, but who is actually Tom Canty, a pauper boy from Offal Court.
How does the state dinner scene relate to the theme of appearance versus reality?
Tom successfully passes as king before hundreds of spectators solely because of his royal clothing and learned behavior, demonstrating how outward trappings can completely substitute for genuine identity.
What does Tom conclude about dining in public at the end of the chapter?
He feels that if public dining is the worst ordeal of kingship, he would gladly endure it several times a day to escape "some of the more formidable requirements of his royal office."
What is the Sword of State, and how is it carried in the procession?
It is a ceremonial sword carried in a red scabbard studded with golden fleurs-de-lis, with the point upwards, borne by one of two attendants flanking the Chancellor.