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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. Where did Teft's relative dump the piranha when it grew too big for his aquarium?

2. Which of the following participants did NOT shoot and kill a bull buffalo?

3. Who comes on the radio as the Bedwetters reach the final fence?

4. How did the Bedwetters mark the trophies to prove they had been stolen?

5. As the sun rises, which of the following substances is NOT smeared all over the Bedwetters?

Short Essay Questions

1. What plan does Cotton devise to open the buffalo pen gates?

2. What is so surprising about the final fence the Bedwetters encounter at the south end of the buffalo reserve?

3. How do the Bedwetters celebrate their achievement of opening the buffalo pens?

4. What happened to the Bedwetters' chamber pot at the end of the novel?

5. How has the herd of buffalo changed from night to morning?

6. What important turning point happens in Lally Two's life as the Bedwetters prepare to fully free the buffalo?

7. How did the Bedwetters finally win the Apache buffalo head?

8. Who do the Bedwetters imagine seeing them as they drive toward the final fence?

9. How do the Bedwetters feel about guiding the buffalo to safety while sitting in the back of the truck bed?

10. What is the moral in Teft's story about the piranha?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Based on the actions of the characters in the novel, what do you think is Swarthout's definition of a hero? In what ways are the Bedwetters heroes both physically and morally? Do you think the Bedwetters are good role models for young boys? Why or why not? Be sure to include examples from the text to help strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

At the opening of the novel, Glendon Swarthout leads with an epigraph of the nursery rhyme "Little Boy Blue". Why do you think Swarthout chose this nursery rhyme to open his novel? What symbolism can be found in these opening lines to the major themes of the novel? Finally, explain whether or not you believe this epigraph is appropriate for the novel, and why. Be sure to include examples from the text to help strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 3

How does Swarthout define manhood in the novel? First, describe the definitions of manhood present in Box Canyon Boys' Camp. How does one act like a man in this setting? Then, compare / contrast that to the definition of manhood the Bedwetters have. Which definition do you think is closer to Swarthout's as the author? Be sure to include examples from the text to help strengthen your arguments.

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