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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Whom does Sammie come to think is his mother?

2. Where does Dencey go to explore while the family is away?

3. Why do the townspeople now think that Dencey is a good girl?

4. How many words does Sammie learn in his first day of lessons?

5. What quality does Dencey possess that helps her uphold her promise to teach Sammie to read?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Dencey find when she takes a risk to go exploring in the attic?

2. How does Sammie's behavior change once he passes up the chance to kiss Dencey at the corn husking contest?

3. What has happened to Lovesta after her years of punishment?

4. What location does Sammie suggest for his reading lesson with Dencey? Why does he feel ill at ease there?

5. What does Sammie grow to like about being in the Coffyn house, and what does Sammie realize that he has always craved for his life?

6. What does Sammie tell Dencey about a fight he has had with Injun Jill?

7. What is the basis of the silent war between Sammie and Injun Jill?

8. What is the state of Dencey and Sammie's relationship in Chapter 28?

9. What is Dencey's punishment for not refusing to see Sammie again?

10. What happens when Lydia confronts Dencey about meeting with Sammie at Brown's barn?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Religion takes on an almost human persona in this book. What role does religion play in the lives of the characters? What disagreements occurred over religion? What decisions were made in the name of religion? Are there instances where unkind events happen in the name of religion? What is this literary technique called? Cite examples that support this position.

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast the lives of Dencey and Hopestill. How are their circumstances similar? In what ways are their lives different? What draws them together to make them friends? What makes Hopestill apprehensive about some of the things that Dencey says or does?

Essay Topic 3

Describe the overall setting for the story. Why does the author use the setting she does? What is the time period of the story? How important is the time period to the attitudes and issues of the characters?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,100 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample