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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. Why does Howard decide to take the girls to see Alice?

2. Where do Howard and the girls find a place to live?

3. What religion does Alice consider while in prison?

4. Howard describes a quote by ________________ which is carved over the courthouse entrance.

5. How old is Robbie Mackessy?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Theresa's response to Alice's arrest and what role will she probably play in Alice's defense?

2. Why does Alice compare Howard to her father?

3. What is Howard's interpretation of Alice's fleeing from the girls when they visit the jail for the first time?

4. How does the sale of the farm affect both Howard and Alice?

5. How does Theresa compare court to church?

6. What does Theresa tell Howard regarding her feelings about her and her life with Dan now?

7. What is happening in the Goodwin's lives that starts to let them feel normal again?

8. How does Howard describe his state of confusion in Chapter 11?

9. What is Howard's perspective on the Goethe quote carved above the courthouse entrance?

10. How does Theresa add comfort to the lives of Howard and the girls at the same time that the farm is dying?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Create a brief character study of Howard. What does he look like? What are his positive personality traits? What are some of his negative characteristics? What are his hopes and fears? What motivates him--if anything--at this point?

Essay Topic 2

Explain Hamilton's use of regionalism in the book. Cite examples of at least two different instances of regionalism and explain why the author uses them where she does.

Essay Topic 3

The author uses more than one iteration on the theme of loss. Identify at least two examples about loss in the book. Then explain how each example supports the theme of loss.

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