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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 does Brennan see when he came up to his home after leaving Mr. Homesley?

2. What does the voice in Brennan's head tell him about snakes?

3. Why do ranchers take their families to El Paso?

4. What does Brennan wonder about the age of the person to whom the skull belonged?

5. What does Brennan assume about the skull that Mr. Homesley says is not necessarily true?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Brennan learn about the probable age of the person to whom the skull belongs?

2. What reason comes to Brennan when he thinks about keeping the skull?

3. What does Brennan's mother tell him she has done and what is his response?

4. How long does it take for more information to come to Brennan and what does he do when Mr. Homesley calls about it?

5. What does Mr. Homesley say about the second source of information?

6. What incident with Mr. Homesley does Brennan recall when he thinks of talking to him about the skull?

7. With what does Brennan become obsessed and what starts happening to him?

8. What does Brennan learn about the probable cause of death?

9. What was written in most of the reports in the boxes?

10. What does Brennan do when he first arrives at his destination and what is he told? What is his response?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Brennan is embarrassed when Mr. Homesley singles him out and asks him to search for a beetle in the grass. He always feels awkward and shy at school and feels he does not fit in well with the other students.

1. What do you think a student should do if she/he doesn't fit into the crowd at school? Use examples from Canyons and your life to support your answer.

2. What do you think makes a student stick out from others? Use examples from Canyons and your life to support your answer.

3. Why do you think children tend to pick on another who is different?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze one major theme of Canyons. Consider the following: How does one character's actions portray the theme you are analyzing? How does the setting contribute to that theme? Is the theme one that you would call a "universal theme"? If so, what other book or novel that you have read also includes this theme. If not, why don't you think it is a "universal" theme?

2. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of Canyons. How does one character's actions portray the themes you are analyzing? How does the setting contribute to those themes? Is each theme one that you would call a "universal theme"? If so, what other book or novel that you have read also includes this theme. If not, why don't you think it is a "universal" theme?

3. What benefit is there in discussing and analyzing the themes of a work of fiction? Do you think most authors consciously develop themes in their works? Why or why not? Can there be accidental themes? What do you think is one possible "accidental" theme in Canyons? Which theme in Canyons speaks to you the most in your life? Why?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. What is a plot? What are the most important elements of a plot and their definition? Do all novels have a plot? Why or why not?

2. Write a brief synopsis of the plot of Canyons, identifying where the various elements of the plot occur (Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement). Do you find it difficult to identify the plot? Why or why not? What about the various elements of the plot?

3. Identify the major sub-plots and their elements (They may not contain every element of a major plot). Do the sub-plots add to the main plot? Why or why not. Are the sub-plots interesting in and of themselves? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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