The Son Test | Final Test - Hard

View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. Where does Eli go to live with his stepmother in Chapter Thirty-four?

2. What do the vaqueros claim is ruining the cattle, according to Peter’s diary entry in Chapter Thirty?

3. How many years younger is Maria than Peter?

4. Who does Eli recognize among the Indians that he is trailing with the Rangers in Chapter Forty-three?

5. How much money does the narrator says Sullivan and Rodriguez make in a year together in Chapter Thirty-five?

Short Essay Questions

1. What irony can be seen in Prairie Flower’s death in Chapter Twenty-eight?

2. How does Prairie Flower die in Chapter Twenty-eight?

3. How does Jeanne come to be knocked unconscious in Chapter Sixty-nine?

4. What is represented symbolically by the feud between the McCulloughs and the Garcias and its aftermath in the novel?

5. Discuss Eli’s views of slavery in the novel. How are these views illustrated when he joins the Civil War efforts?

6. What leads up to Eli’s arrest in Chapter Thirty-seven? Who turns Eli in?

7. What is the earliest conflict between the Garcias and the McCulloughs, as illustrated in Chapter Fifty-nine?

8. What circumstances lead to Peter’s isolation on the ranch in Chapter Twenty-four?

9. How does Peter respond to Maria’s presence and her need for help in Chapter Thirty?

10. How does the relationship between Hank and Jeanne develop in Chapter Thirty-two?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss the characters of Corkie and Jonas in the novel. Where does Jeanne meet Corkie? What are her impressions of this character? How are Jeanne and Jonas similar? How do these characters differ?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the nonlinear structure of The Son and the differing narrative styles established in the novel. How does the language style of each of the narrators differ? Does the narrative style reflect the time periods in which the story takes place? Why do you think the author chose to structure the novel in this way?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of “imparting a personal legacy” in The Son. What advice does the Colonel give to Jeanne McCullough regarding her own personal legacy and the importance of putting one’s name on something? Do you think that this is sound advice? Why or why not? How is this theme illustrated through imagery and characters in the novel?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 956 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample