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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 is implied by the fight that Harris and Lettice had in the inn before Harris' death?

2. Who escorts Lettice Wood to the funeral of Colonel Harris?

3. How does Rutledge decide Lizzie Pinter seeing the dead man fall from his horse in the meadow change the evidence against Wilton?

4. For whom does Catherine Tarrant beg Rutledge to be sure of the evidence in Chapter 17?

5. What motive does Wilton have for murdering Harris?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Lettice Wood surprised to learn was the source of Mavers' pension?

2. Why does Rutledge go to the Sommers' home the morning of the funeral?

3. Why does Rutledge interview the two women of ill-repute who live on the lane?

4. What does Rutledge discover in Chapter 20 when he goes into Helena Sommers' bedroom the morning of the funeral?

5. Who does Rutledge learn was a nurse during the war? What does this say about this particular character?

6. What new information does Rutledge get when he is finally able to interview Hickam in Chapter 15?

7. Who tells Lettice Wood that he once was involved in a car accident that resulted in a child's death in a way to comfort her in her grief?

8. Why does Rutledge attend church in Chapter 15? What happens afterward?

9. Why does Rutledge agree in Chapter 18 to delay his arrest of Captain Wilton until after the funeral?

10. What does Lettice Wood reveal to Rutledge in Chapter 19 after he wakes her in the middle of the night?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What does Lettice reveal about her relationship with Harris? How did this changing relationship lead to a fight between Harris and Lettice? Harris and Wilton? How could this argument have been motive for murder? Is it? Why does Lettice fail to tell this story to Rutledge until late in the novel? What is Lettice trying to hide? Has Lettice done something wrong? Has Harris? What might the public have though had this truth come out more publicly?

Essay Topic 2

Who is Lettice Wood? What is her condition the first time Rutledge interviews her? Why does this cause Rutledge to believe Lettice is hiding something? What kind of answers does Lettice give to Rutledge's many questions? Why does Rutledge find himself routinely returning to talk to Lettice? Who does Lettice remind Rutledge of? What information about her relationship to Harris does Lettice finally reveal to Rutledge that takes away Wilton's motive for murder? How is this information a sad turn for Rutledge in comparison to his own experiences?

Essay Topic 3

Who is Ian Rutledge? Whose voice does he hear in his head? Why is he often surprised others cannot hear this voice? Why does Rutledge hear voices? Where has Rutledge been? What experience has caused Rutledge to hear this voice in his head? What was he before this experience? Who expects Rutledge to fail now that he has returned? Why? What does Rutledge think of his own chances of success in his current situation?

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