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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 Ballard owe the grocer?

2. What does the boy do to precipitate Ballard's shooting him?

3. What does Lester intimate to Ralph's daughter?

4. Which of the following is not among the items that Ballard purchases at the grocer's?

5. How much money does Ballard eventually get for all of his watches?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Ballard find in the running car on the side of the road?

2. How does Ballard's situation change in this section?

3. Describe Ballard's second interview by the police.

4. What does Ballard do on his trip into town?

5. Describe the story Fate tells about the 1899 hanging.

6. What crime problem is the Sheriff facing in this section?

7. Why does Ballard return several times to the idling car?

8. What happens to Ballard when he tries to cross the creek?

9. How were the White Caps run out of Sevier?

10. How do the police catch Kirby selling jars of whiskey?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

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

Cormac McCarthy is widely renowned for his evocative descriptions of the power of nature. His work seems to invoke a cruel God that allows human beings to hurt each other and then punishes them with the elements. Write an essay about two of the major natural events in the novel and how they coincide with the personal evil of Lester Ballard:

Part 1) How does the fire in Ballard's shack reflect the destruction of his soul within the context of his personal actions? Examine this event and the events surrounding it.

Part 2) How does the flood and torrential rain coincide with Ballard's complete degeneration into madness? Describe both the effects of the flood and the personal toll it takes on Ballard.

(see the answer keys)

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