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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 NOT a sound perceived by Andrews during his brief periods of wakefulness during his first night in Butcher's Crossing?

2. How does McDonald describe the town of Butcher's Crossing on the day Andrews first comes to see him?

3. At the start of the novel, the as-yet-unnamed protagonist rides within a stagecoach on its way to what town to Butcher's Crossing?

4. Andrews asks the hotel clerk if the clerk knows a man by what surname?

5. Charley does NOT cook which food for the hunting party while they are resting near Smoky Hill?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do Andrews's physical changes over the first few weeks of the expedition indicate psychological changes as well?

2. What do Miller's comments about the dwindling number of buffalo show about his character?

3. What query is made within the letter from Andrews's father to McDonald and how does McDonald respond?

4. What does the hunting party's thirst symbolize?

5. What is the significance of the field of buffalo bones depicted in the narrative?

6. How does the theme of racism arise within the character of Miller?

7. What is shown about Andrews's character in the passage when he tries to summon the images of the Colorado territory he has seen in books and magazines?

8. What does the reader learn about the protagonist before even knowing his name?

9. What reservations does Schneider share about the prospect of the buffalo hunting expedition?

10. What is the symbolism of the Smoky Hill trail?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the author's message regarding the history of America in John Williams's novel Butcher's Crossing and what themes does the author employ in order to send these messages to the reader?

Essay Topic 2

How might John Williams's novel Butcher's Crossing be classified as a coming-of-age story and what elements of the narrative complicate this distinction?

Essay Topic 3

Trace the characterization arc of Andrews's character throughout the novel. Discuss whether the protagonist is a round or flat character and whether he is a static or dynamic character.

(see the answer keys)

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