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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. Abel slept with one of ___________ daughter's, even though she dressed and ran away from him when he wanted her again.

2. What is in Abel's mouth the next time he wakes up during his time in the ditch?

3. Tosamah gives a sermon in the basement of a two-story red brick building in ______________ in which he lives.

4. Abel's final memory before leaving for war was his _____________ crying as he did not understand why Abel wanted to go.

5. To find his grandmother's grave, Tosamah has to walk along the path of the _______________.

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Ben do when he goes to the Silver Dollar after dropping off Abel at the bus station?

2. How did Abel and Ben meet each other for the first time, as Ben recalls it during a trip down memory lane?

3. Describe the creature that Tosamah's grandmother had described in a story about a man who set off to find food for his people.

4. What did Father Olguin think caused Abel to kill the albino so many years ago, testifying in court to this being the reason for Abel's actions?

5. Who went up to the hill to get drunk the night before Abel left for the bus station?

6. What were some of the ways Tosamah insulted Abel, even though he did not do so directly?

7. Who is the Priest of the Sun, who appears at the beginning of this second chapter of the book?

8. Why does Ben think that Milly is going to come around anymore, according to what he has noticed?

9. What occurred as a result of Abel's father being an outsider, even though Abel never knew him?

10. What happened on the night of the memory that Abel recalls about himself and about his brother, Vidal?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

At times, it seems the portrayal of women is a bit less than fair, especially in the minds of female readers.

Part 1: What are the main characteristics the female characters in the book share?

Part 2: Are women shown to be strong and powerful? Why or why not?

Part 3: Why do you think women aren't portrayed in a more positive light? Or are they?

Essay Topic 2

There are vast differences between the older and the newer generations of Native Americans in this story.

Part 1: Compare and contrast the older and newer generations of Native Americans in this story.

Part 2: Do you think the newer generation of Native Americans is hopeful? Why or why not?

Part 3: What does Momaday seem to be saying for the future of Native Americans?

Essay Topic 3

The initial opening with the trap that did not catch what it was intended to catch seems to be symbolic for the rest of the manuscript.

Part 1: In what way is Abel trapped in this story? Could he have avoided his trap?

Part 2: What other characters might be seen as trapped? Why?

Part 3: What might the symbolic dead body floating down the stream refer to in the story? Who also has been let go? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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