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. What is notable about Old Rawhide's derriere?

2. Who has asked Norman to help his brother-in-law?

3. Where do Norman and Paul fish?

4. What fact do the men not realize at the end of this day?

5. What does Paul hope to avoid?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where do the two brothers go fishing?

2. Where do Norman and Paul escape from Norman's family problems a few days later?

3. Neal declares that he wants to fish but what does he do instead?

4. What is Reverend Maclean's second passion after religion?

5. What favor does Norman ask of his brother, Paul?

6. Why does Norman's mother-in-law enlist Norman's help on Neal's behalf?

7. Who goes on the fishing trip the next morning?

8. Why does Norman not remain to fish with Neal?

9. Why does Paul try to avoid Norman?

10. Who are the two brothers in the story?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Norman and Mr. Maclean feel powerless to help Paul rid alcohol from his life. Explain what Norman and Mr. Maclean could have done to help Paul. What sources of support are available today for alcoholics that were not available at the beginning of the twentieth century? Do you think that Mrs. Maclean quietly tried to help Paul and ended up enabling him instead?

Essay Topic 2

Explain the irony in the situation of the cook losing all his money after he has cheated to win it in the poker game. All through the story the cook has been rude and disdainful to Norman, yet it is Norman who finds the cook beaten and broken in an alley and gives him all the money he has. What does it say about Norman's character that he can rise above the difficulties he has experienced with the cook and act like a good human being? Would the cook have done the same for Norman? Explain your position.

Essay Topic 3

Norman never does achieve the level of esteem he hopes for from Bill. Does this have anything to do with Norman's choice not to return to Bill's crew the following summer? Or does Norman just want to expand his skill sets by working in a different area? Why would Bill ask Norman to return if he did not like him? Compare and contrast what Bill and Norman were looking for from each other.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 682 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample