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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. What does Jim brag about over dinner one night?

2. What happens to ruin this good feeling?

3. Eventually how does Norman come to feel about Jim?

4. What does Norman take away from his experience with Jim?

5. What does Norman feel Jim is doing all summer?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Norman fear about Jim?

2. What is Jim's complaint about the cooks?

3. How does Norman perceive Jim's letters?

4. Why does Norman make this decision?

5. What is Jim's wintertime job?

6. Who does Norman meet one summer while logging in the woods?

7. What does Norman agree to do by the end of the summer?

8. How does Norman come to feel about Jim?

9. How does Norman perceive Jim?

10. What does Jim do while the prostitutes are working?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mrs. Maclean dotes on Paul and refuses to talk about his death at the end of the story. Explain the concept of denial and how Mrs. Maclean will not address Paul's alcoholism. By refusing to look at Paul's weakness, how does Mrs. Maclean inadvertently contribute to Paul's death?

Essay Topic 2

Neal and Paul's alcoholism seem starkly out of place in the pristine region of the Blackfoot River area. Explain the irony of the personal angst set against this breathtaking backdrop. Also explain why personal problems can happen even in the most beautiful of locations.

Essay Topic 3

Explain the concept of irony as it relates to Jim's not eating any pie even after he has complained relentlessly that the cooks do not serve any pie for breakfast. Why would Maclean choose to include this example of Jim's behavior? Not having pie for breakfast does not seem like a big infraction, so why does Jim not let it go? Then, after he has accomplished his goal of getting pie served in the mornings, why does he not eat it?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 636 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample