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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. How much money does the blonde daughter demand of Ballard to show him her breasts?

2. To what are the musicians and auctioneer compared at the end of Act 1?

3. What is the sleeping woman wearing when Ballard finds her?

4. Where does the auctioneer give his pitch?

5. What does the "Sevier County pocketknife society" do at their meetings outside the police station?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Lester Ballard's neck injured?

2. How do people react to Ballard in the Six-Mile Church?

3. Explain how the boy that came through town could always shoot birds in the air.

4. What happened to Lester Ballard's parents?

5. Describe the Dumpkeeper's situation at home.

6. Describe the baby of Ballard's friend, Ralph.

7. Why does Ballard tear the head off of Squire Helton's cow?

8. What transpires between Ballard and the woman he finds sleeping on Frog Mountain?

9. How do the Deputy's plans for the day change in Chapter 17 (pp. 48-49)?

10. What does the disfigured child do to Ballard's gift?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay about the Sheriff. Is he an effective law enforcer? Is he a principled man with a vision for his County? Write your essay in three paragraphs, detailing three specific episodes in the text that are driven by the Sheriff. Detail the episodes and examine how effective the character is in achieving his objective.

Essay Topic 2

Many critics have charged McCarthy's writing with being nihilistic, beautiful, but ultimately meaningless. They argue that his work evocatively explored man's inclination to destroy, but it takes no sides. Write an essay either in agreement or refutation of this. Use specific examples from Child of God to argue either that McCarthy takes a position on Ballard's actions or that he simply relates the horrific.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay about Ralph's disfigured child. Is this child a kindred spirit to Lester Ballard? How does Ballard relate to the grotesque toddler? Compare the child's destruction of the playpretty with Ballard's destruction of the child's mother.

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