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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 group of people expresses distrust of Shadow Moon at the bank?

2. Why is Essie Tregowen sent to America instead of being hanged in Chapter 4?

3. What warning does the Buffalo Man give Shadow at the end of his Chapter 9?

4. How many days before the end of his sentence is Shadow released because of his wife's death?

5. What noise causes Shadow to hide at the beginning of Chapter 7?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do Shadow and Mad Sweeney interact during their night of drinking?

2. What dream does Shadow have on his flight?

3. How is Odin martyred?

4. Describe Mr. Wednesday.

5. What is the full story surrounding Laura Moon's death?

6. What happens to the Vikings in America at the end of Chapter 3?

7. How are Mr. Road and Mr. Town introduced in Chapter 9?

8. How does Shadow escape captivity at the end of Chapter 6?

9. How does Shadow deal with the approach of police on the scam in Chapter 5?

10. Describe Shadow's temptation by Media.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The plot of Gaiman's novel can be viewed as an epic amalgamation of many cultures in the arena of one country. On the other hand, the novel can be viewed as a very personal story about one man's journey out of despair. Write an essay chronicling Shadow Moon's character arc. How is he denied any objective by circumstance at the outset of the story? Why does he join Wednesday's campaign, and over the course of it, why does he choose not to commit suicide? By the end of the novel, has Shadow reached some state of new contentment?

Essay Topic 2

Part of Neil Gaiman's agenda in writing AMERICAN GODS is to illustrate how the traditions of today's popular religions have their roots in the ancient pagan faiths. He does this by craftily presenting these similarities baldly but without author's commentary. Write an essay about two of these examples:

Part 1) Early in the novel, Gaiman tells the story of Vikings who came to America. What traditional story of Odin do they bring with them? What iconography is so central that they reenact it in celebration of the god? To what Christian iconography is this similar? In what way does this create a comparison between Odin and Jesus Christ?

Part 2) Midway through AMERICAN GODS, Shadow and Wednesday go to San Francisco to speak with the goddess Easter. What connection does she draw between her divine traditions and the Christian celebration named for her? How are the two connected? What argument does Wednesday make to Easter regarding her presence in the Christian holiday?

Essay Topic 3

AMERICAN GODS is riddled with references to tricks and scams. These tricks - from grifts, to coin illusions, to an essential scam at the heart of the plot - reflect the untrustworthy nature of the old world gods. Write an essay about these scams, in three parts:

Part 1) Wednesday is a man of illusions and scams; he represents untruth. Write a paragraph about his various schemes, citing specific examples. Why does he scam others? What does he gain over the course of the novel? How does this connect with his true persona of Odin?

Part 2) What is the essential scam of AMERICAN GODS? What is the purpose of all the hardship and killing? Write a paragraph about the truth behind the lies spun in the name of a great battle. Contrast this truth with the reasons the more honest characters have chosen to fight.

Part 3) Write a summation paragraph dealing with the notion of the trickster god. Which trickster gods are represented in the novel, and who do they trick? To what extent are the the new gods less devious than the old ones?

(see the answer keys)

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