Novel Insights Guide To

Pilgrim's Progress

by John Bunyan

Guide - $15.95 Guide On CD - $12.95

Jump to table of contents Jump to Chapter 1 & 2 Review Jump to Suggested Activities

Jump to Chapter Questions Jump to Question Answers

Author Biography	..................................... 1
Chapter 01	..................................... 2
Chapter 02	..................................... 8
Chapter 03 - 04	................................... 15
Chapter 05	................................... 23
Chapter 06	................................... 29
Chapter 07 - 08	................................... 35
Chapter 09	................................... 41
Chapter 10 - 11	................................... 48
Vocabulary Tests	................................... 55
Test Questions	.................................. 74
Vocabulary Crossword Puzzle	.................................. 80
Selected Bibliography	.................................. 92

Chapters 01 - 02

The story is told by a narrator who has a dream in which he sees a man clothed in rags with a burden on his back, holding a book and weeping. The man is distressed because of a warning he has received that their city will be destroyed by fire from heaven. Believing he is insane, his family rushes him to bed, hoping sleep will relieve his fears. However, when he awakens his state is even worse. This causes his family to reject him, and he withdraws, often walking in the fields alone. In this manner, he meets a man named Evangelist, who points him to a little gate through which a light is shining, and tells him he should go there. His wife, children and neighbors try to persuade him to return to his home, but he refuses. Two of his neighbors, Obstinate and Pliable, are the last to reach him. When they try to talk Christian into going back, he instead tries to convince them they should join him. Obstinate refuses, but Pliable decides to go with him. Pliable is fascinated with Christian's description of all of the joys and pleasures awaiting them in heaven. However, when the two become ensnared in the slough of despond, Pliable chooses to return to his home, while Christian flounders on. Finally a man named Help pulls Christian out, sets him on dry ground and shows him the way to the wicket gate. He also explains that the slough is the caused by the scum and filth of a guilty conscience. Once Pliable returns to the City of Destruction, he spreads rumors about Christian so that Christian's name is slandered by all his neighbors. As Christian goes on his way, he meets a man named Mr. Worldly Wiseman who comes from the town of Carnal Policy. This man instructs Christian to go to see a man named Morality in the nearby village of Legality who would help him remove the burden on his back. Mr. Worldly Wiseman further says that if Mr. Legality is not home, his son Civility will be able to help Christian. Christian decides to take his advice, and goes close to the hill where Mr. Legality is said to live. However, when he comes near the hill, it seems very steep and he fears it will break off and fall on him. As he stands at the hill, paralyzed in his indecision, Evangelist approaches and rebukes him for not following his advice to enter at the wicket gate. Evangelist explains that Mr. Worldly Wiseman loves the doctrine of the world best, and seeks to pervert the Word of God. He tells Christian there are three things he should hate about what was done to him by this man: 1. He turned him from the right way. 2. He is laboring to make the cross odious. 3. Directing him in the way that leads to death. Evangelist admonishes him again to enter at the narrow gate. He explains to Christian he cannot be justified by the works of the law because the law is not capable of cleansing anyone from his sin. Christian asks Evangelist if there is any hope for him, or if he should just go back to his home. Evangelist tells him his sin is great, but the man at the wicket gate will still receive him. He admonishes him again not to turn aside out of the way.

Suggested Activities - Chapter 01

Have students illustrate Christian in one of the scenes in the first chapter.
Assign research into the historical conditions surrounding John Bunyan's imprisonment and ultimate writing of this allegory. Have them write an essay from Bunyan's perspective - what did it feel like to be imprisoned for preaching the Word of God.
Discuss Bunyan's biography. Why would his personal experiences seem to make the idea of an allegory perfect. What part of his life experiences could play into some of his ideas?
This story lends itself well to dramatic re-enactments of each chapter. Divide students into groups and have each group prepare a skit for one scene of the first chapter (Christian learning of his condition and leaving the City of Destruction; Christian and Pliable in the Slough of Despond; Christian with Mr. Worldly Wiseman; Evangelist rescuing Christian, rebuking him and putting him back on the right path.

Review Questions - Chapter 01

What is an allegory?
Of what impending danger does Christian warn his family?
How does his family respond to his warning?
Christian tells Evangelist he is not willing to die for what reason? What is the burden? How has he become aware of this?
What is written on the parchment roll which Evangelist gives him?
What does Evangelist instruct him to do?
How obedient is he to Evangelist's instructions? What message does this have for us?
Why do Obstinate and Pliable go after him?
Why does Obstinate return?
Why do the travelers fall into the Slough of Despond?
How and where does Pliable get out?
How does Christian get out?
What would have kept Christian from sinking in the mire?
What makes the Slough of Despond?
How has the King tried to mend this place?
How does Mr. Worldly Wiseman advise Christian to get rid of his burden?
How does Christian feel when he sees Evangelist coming toward him? Why?
What five questions does Evangelist ask him?
What two warnings does he give him from the Word of God?
After Christian has repented of following Mr. Worldly Wiseman's advice, what four questions does he ask Evangelist?

Review Question Answers - Chapters 01

An allegory is a story in which all elements are symbolic. Each thing in the story represents something else in real life.
Their city is going to be burned with fire from heaven, and they will all perish unless they leave.
They think he is insane, and have him go to bed in hopes he will abandon his claims in the morning.
He is afraid the burden on his back will cause him to sink into hell. The burden represents his sins. He has become convicted of his sins and their consequences by reading the Word of God.
"Flee from the wrath to come."
He tells him to go to the little gate on the far side of the field where there is a tiny light shining, and when he knocks, he will be told what he should do.
He immediately obeys the instructions, running toward the gate. When we receive the Word of God, we should obey what it says without delay, and with the utmost urgency.
They are trying to persuade him to return to his home.
Pliable decides to go with Christian, which makes Obstinate declare them both fools and turn back.
They fall into the Slough because they are careless.
Pliable immediately becomes discouraged at the prospect of facing any difficulty along the way, and he climbs out of the slough on the side closest to his home, heading back in that direction.
A man named Help comes along and pulls him out.
If he had looked for the steps, he would not have sunk.
It is made from the scum and filth of a guilty conscience, caused by conviction of sin.
He has sent His laborers, who have brought in at least twenty thousand carloads of solid truth and tons and tons of wholesome instructions.
He tells him to go to the village of Morality, where he will find a man named Legality, who will be able to tell him how to get rid of his burden.
He feels ashamed, because he knows he has failed to follow the instructions Evangelist gave him, and he has instead followed a direction from a teacher that has nearly destroyed him (he was fearful the hill would fall on him).
The five questions are:

What are you doing here?
Are you not the man I found crying outside the wall of the City of Destruction?
How is it that you have so soon turned out of the way?
Whom did you meet and what kind of person was he?
What did the man say to you?

The two warnings he gives him are:

Do not refuse Him who speaks from heaven.
The just shall live by faith, but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

The four questions he asks:

Is there any hope for me?
May I go back, take up where I left off, and go to the wicket gate?
Shall I be abandoned for this unfaithfulness and turned away from the gate in shame?
May my sins be forgiven?