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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 Helen Jean do for a living in her hometown before she moves to Gallup?

2. What kind of victims is Descheeny known to be able to help?

3. What do the old singers send to Descheeny?

4. Why does Helen Jean go to the bars and hang out with the Indian men?

5. Where is Thought-Woman sitting in the opening poem?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are Tayo’s symptoms after he leaves the hospital and how does a Japanese person help him?

2. How do Josiah and the boys learn about cattle care?

3. Why does Tayo feel guilty about Josiah?

4. How does Tayo and Rocky end up in the military and how do they end up stationed together?

5. How does Rocky end up dead?

6. What does Betonie show Tayo about his illness and how it is related to white people?

7. What does Tayo do when his friends leave in the morning what does he come to realize?

8. What does Ku'oosh say to Tayo after Tayo talks to Ku'oosh and what does Ku'oosh leave Tayo? What is Tayo’s response?

9. What happens with Tayo when he first gets back home and where does he stay?

10. What does Betonie tell Tayo about change and trust?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Characters are an important part of what makes Ceremony interesting.

Thoroughly discuss and analyze Tayo. What are his strengths and weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he usually likable? Seldom likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas. Use the same criteria to thoroughly discuss and analyze Auntie and Emo.

Essay Topic 2

Analyze and discuss what you think are the characteristics of a successful novel and why Ceremony is or is not a successful novel based on your criteria. Do you think the criteria for a successful novel should be different if it is written for adults versus young adults?

Essay Topic 3

When Ku'oosh comes to Tayo, he brings medicines — the Indian tea and the blue corn, but he also brings stories, another form of medicine.

Discuss why stories might help a person dealing with mental or emotional agony. What are two stories Tayo is told and how do you think they related to his situation?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 987 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample