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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 Lester Ballard do while having sex with the dead girl?
2. What is the name of the owner of the grocer's?
3. What does Ballard Leave outside when he goes into Ralph's house?
4. What does Ballard eat on his journey over the mountain?
5. How many daughters are still living with the Dumpkeeper?
Short Essay Questions
1. What happens to Ballard when he tries to cross the creek?
2. Why does Ballard return several times to the idling car?
3. What crime problem is the Sheriff facing in this section?
4. What does Ballard do at his old property, now Greer's?
5. Describe Ballard's appearance at the end of this section.
6. How do the police catch Kirby selling jars of whiskey?
7. What imaginary conversations does Ballard have in the woods?
8. Why does Ballard go to Blount County?
9. Where does Ballard settle at the end of Chapter 30 (pp. 106-108)?
10. Describe the inside of Ballard's cave.
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
In the opening passages of the book, McCarthy gives a description of Ballard as a soul. In the closing passages, he creates a portrait of Ballard as a body, vivisected into its component organ systems by doctors and students. Compare these two passages under the thesis of how McCarthy portrays Ballard throughout the novel. Is he creating a portrait that we are supposed to understand or a subject we are supposed to observe?
Essay Topic 2
Child of God, while a violent and horrific narrative, contains scenes of bleak humor, centering generally on Lester Ballard's inability to function effectively in normal society. Write an essay encompassing three of these episodes:
Part 1) Examine the interchange that Ballard has with the Blacksmith. How does this scene reflect a rare occurrence of a mainstream individual attempting to relate to Ballard? How does Ballard respond?
Part 2) Consider Ballard's exchange with Mr. Fox at the grocery. How does this interchange reflect a general societal attitude toward Ballard within Sevier County, and is Ballard's reaction to Fox a microcosm of his reaction to Sevier in general?
Part 3) In Blount County, Ballard tries to sell three purloined watches to a group of men, who scam him. What does this scene say about Ballard's ultimate lack of control in the world?
Essay Topic 3
Do you think that Lester Ballard is an essentially evil man or simply a weak individual driven to extremity by hardship? Write an essay in three parts focusing on two instances in the novel that illustrate your position and one that refutes the opposite view. Be sure to focus on his crimes, childhood, and general mental state.
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This section contains 946 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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