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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 the Swede doing in his room?

2. Who remains quiet and observing during the meal?

3. Why is it hard to tell what is going on with the fight?

4. What does the bartender do when the Swede becomes more demanding?

5. Who jumps in the air when the fight begins?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the cowboy's anger exhibit during the fight and what does he yell?

2. What words mark the climax of the story?

3. What is the Swede's fear about the fight initially?

4. How do the cowboy and the Easterner anticipate the fight as they stand in the cold?

5. How does the Swede's obnoxious behavior result in his death?

6. How does Chapter 8 begin?

7. How does the author show that Scully has lost all reserves and control of his behavior after the Swede leaves?

8. How do the cowboy and Scully erupt after the Swede leaves the hotel?

9. How can the supper at the hotel be described?

10. What is the significance of the debt between the Swede and Scully and the cash register at the end of the story?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Create a brief character study of the cowboy. What does he look like? What are his positive personality traits? What are some of his negative characteristics? What are his hopes and fears? What motivates him--if anything--at this point in his life?

Essay Topic 2

THE BLUE HOTEL is a classic story of fear and reprisal. What does that classification entail? Why does this story fit into this category?

Essay Topic 3

How does the Swede change over the course of the story? Why does the author make his character so volatile? Is there any significance to his ethnic and cultural background? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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