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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. Abbey wants his readers to know that the desert is

2. Mackie would rather be rich than work for Scobie. If he were, he would

3. With Waterman, Abbey experiences his first attempt at

4. Fred Burkett's favorite hiding place to watch for speeders was

5. Separating from other human beings feels to Abbey like

Short Essay Questions

1. What influences Abbey's final decision to abandon his quest for Moon-Eye?

2. Abbey gives us two facts in the early part of this chapter that make it clear that this trip was taken in a decade long-past. What is it?

3. Do Abbey and Newcomb enjoy the "rapids" they encounter?

4. Do you think Edward Abbey is a fanatic? Is his fear of a future dictatorial regime unfounded?

5. How does Abbey feel about leaving the desert and returning to the city?

6. Abbey mentions thinking the unthinkable as he drives through the desert past the Arches headquarters. To what is he referring?

7. What are a few good words that would describe Abbey's impression of the desert at this time of year, and at noon? Is there any other place, time, state of mind or being, to which this same set of words also applies?

8. Why do the men make jokes about the dead man?

9. What does Abbey say, indirectly, about change?

10. If Abbey is somewhat indifferent to the death of a fellow human being, why would that be true?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Consider the time(s) in history that this book was written. By the time of the last printing of this story, what had happened that had exposed, particularly to Americans, the true nature of the rat race we had created? Would this book have been more important if it had been written during another era? Would it have been given more attention by reviewers and critics if it had been written in this decade? Be sure to read Abbey's Preface to learn about how the book was received.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay on your close reading of the section of the book where Abbey describes the noonday sun as if it were a drug-induced experience. Try to explain and expand on the description he has given, and consider why he describes it the way he does. Do you feel he was suffering from heat stroke? Do you think being alone might have caught up with him? Do you think he is afraid for his survival in this moment of extreme heat? What is the reality of this section, in your opinion?

Essay Topic 3

Is Edward Abbey depressed? His inability to stop or shift the tides of progress comes through in his writing. Is he hopeful, or has he given up on the human race altogether? Explain your impressions, and provide examples.

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