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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 are Tobin and the Kid able to refresh themselves?

2. What does Glanton use to make the men chose who shoots the injured men?

3. Who do Toadvine and the Kid meet at Alamo Mucho?

4. What time does Glanton come back from the Indian camp?

5. Where does the doctor live?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Glanton decide who kills the injured men.

2. Describe the argument between the proprietor and Jackson in the diner.

3. Describe the fight between the locals and the gang.

4. Describe how the man dies.

5. Describe how Elrod gets killed.

6. Summarize the novel.

7. How does the gang get to the town of Jesus Maria?

8. How do Glanton and his gang use the ferry?

9. The gang tries to convince the doctor of what?

10. On what do the Judge and the gang leaders agree?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the novel's violence.

1) Is the violence accurate to how it really was?

2) How did such an environment affect characters like the Kid? Did they become immune to the violence? How would someone like the Kid cope when he is back in normal society having seen so much death?

3) Does McCarthy representation of violence have a point to make about contemporary society?

Essay Topic 2

McCarthy has lived in Texas and Mexico, adhering to the rule that writers should always write about what they know. Do you think it is obvious that McCarthy knows his subject? What difference do you think it makes to the story? Are there any moments where you think McCarthy does not portray a character or setting so well?

Essay Topic 3

Look at the structure of the novel.

1) How does McCarthy use character and dialogue to drive the narrative.

2) Discuss elements of the narrative structure: Exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the novel's themes?

3) Away from the main character, examine the way McCarthy uses the other characters in the story. When does he introduce and take them away from the story? What effect does it have on the story?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 826 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample