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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 Isaac's ultimate destination as he flees his hometown in Book One?

2. What word from Book Two refers to a thing that is necessary for the achievement to an ends?

3. What does Grace do for a living?

4. What did Harris do when he caught Virgil stealing previously?

5. What does Isaac use to commit the murder in Book One?

Short Essay Questions

1. What internal conflicts does Poe face in the beginning of Book Two?

2. What secrets are revealed in Book Two? How do these secrets serve the plot?

3. How does the theme of fatalism apply to Grace and Billy Poe in Book One?

4. How would you describe the atmosphere of the setting and characters in Book One?

5. How does the theme of fatalism apply to Henry and Lee English in the novel?

6. What happens when Harris confronts Poe in the woods in Book Two?

7. Where does Isaac encounter the teenage thugs in Book Two? What happens when he encounters them?

8. Where does Isaac plan to travel in Book One? Why?

9. How is the character of Billy Poe described in Book One? What are his circumstances in the beginning of the novel?

10. How does the murder in Book One influence the characters of Isaac and Poe?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and analyze the character of Isaac in the novel. How old is Isaac? What are his intentions in the beginning of the narrative? How does Isaac's character evolve in the course of the story?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the theme of secrets in American Rust. What are some of the principle secrets that are revealed in the course of the narrative? How is this theme developed through character? How is it developed through setting, symbolism, and imagery?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the author's use of irony in American Rust. What are examples of situational irony in the narrative? What are examples of verbal and dramatic irony? What purpose does irony serve in each context?

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