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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. Who does Lurie originally steal the nazar from?

2. What does Donovan leave Lurie with at the side of the road when they part ways?

3. Whose spirit does Lurie meet in Part II who had once meant a great deal to him?

4. How does Jolly pray?

5. What does Lurie refer to as a spirit's yearning that he is compelled to carry out?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Emmett and Nora do when some of their neighbors move away, including the Flores family?

2. What is Hobb's "want" that Lurie is compelled to fulfill?

3. What is awkward about Nora's visit to Desma in Part II?

4. Who is the voice Nora often hears and has silent conversations with?

5. How does Toby injure his eye?

6. What kind of disposition does Lurie say camels would not suit?

7. How does Lurie acquire the last name of Mattie?

8. What serious crime does Lurie commit in Part One that gets Marshal John Berger searching for him?

9. What two kinds of folk had Donovan once told Lurie the world was full of?

10. What is one of Nora's most pressing concerns on her homestead?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the section titled Afternoon, what do you think Obreht is trying to convey through Lurie's conversations with the writer, who painstakingly records Lurie's stories but dies shortly thereafter? Write an essay explaining your answer.

Essay Topic 2

What makes Lurie give Jolly back the nazar he stole from him in the section titled The Missouri, and what does this action portend about their later relationship? Write an essay explaining your answer, citing specific references to the text to support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay analyzing the symbolism of Donovan's canteen, and of the visions Lurie sees in it. Cite specific references to the text to support your answers.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 641 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample