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. Who does Dave visit the morning after Darlene's death?

2. What does Darlene suggest that Dave do?

3. Who is Clayton Desmarteau?

4. What does Dave ask the tribal chief?

5. Who does the man in Dave's house turn out to be?

Short Essay Questions

1. Is Dave's response to Cletus taking Charlie out of the house ethical?

2. How does Mrs. Desmarteau receive Dave, and what does he learn?

3. What could be possible reasons that Dave seems to be a bit of a hothead?

4. What does Dave dream and what might the dream foreshadow?

5. What happens that seems to indicate that Dixie Lee may finally be getting his life back on track?

6. Why do you think Darlene's does not know much about the American Indian Movement, one of the most controversial and publicized Indian organizations, yet her last name (American Horse) suggests she is Native American?

7. Why does Dave believe Darlene's life is in danger?

8. What does Dio want when he calls Dave, and what is Dave's response?

9. What does Dave learn at the Blackfeet Reservation, and do you think the Chief is being as helpful as possible?

10. What happens at the lake and what does this incident reinforce to the reader about Dave's personality?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Both Dave and Dixie Lee have and/or have had a problem with alcohol. Discuss the following:

1. What constitutes being an alcoholic? What is AA? Why do you think Dave's wife "reminds" him in a dream to attend AA?

2. The twelfth step of AA is one of carrying the AA message to other alcoholics. Do you think Dave's agreement to allow Dixie Lee into his home under strict guidelines is partially a result of the concept of reaching out to other alcoholics?

3. Why do you think James Lee Burke chooses to have his primary protagonist be an alcoholic and attending AA meetings?

Essay Topic 2

Dave takes the law into his own hands when he decides to beat up Mapes and Vidrine after receiving a letter threatening Alafair, Dave's daughter. Dave also takes the law into his own hands when in an earlier novel, he kills his wife's murderer. Later, Cletus does the same thing with Darlene's murderer. Discuss the following: Discuss the following:

1. When (or if) is it justified to mete out your own justice to someone who has wronged you or a loved one and broken the law in doing so.

2. What do you think it says about Dave's beliefs about the criminal justice system that he is his own judge and executioner? About Cletus's belief?

3. Do you think Dave's beliefs about the justice system influences his work as a police officer when he was one?

Essay Topic 3

Choose one of the following to discuss:

1. Choose two significant symbols and trace and analyze their appearance in the novel.

2. Choose two important metaphors and trace and analyze their appearance in the novel.

3. Discuss James Lee Burke's use (or lack ) of literary techniques and how they add or detract from the story and whether he uses too many or too little literary techniques.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,418 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample