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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. According to Mr. Jenkins, who are the two men from Chattanooga and why are they looking for Granpa?

2. Which two incidents destroy Granpa's hope of being able to keep Little Tree?

3. Referring to people who like to take and give handouts, what similarity does Granpa describe between some people and some countries?

4. In regard to leaving the orphanage, how does Granpa reveal that he wants Little Tree to continue learning to make his own decisions?

5. In regard to the family that Granpa sees facing hardships on the farm, what do Granpa and the soldiers have in common?

Short Essay Questions

1. What purpose does Willow John serve in the novel?

2. Why isn't Granpa interested in talking to Mr. Slick and Mr. Chunk about putting him to work on a big whiskey still?

3. How and why does Granpa's approach to people in church who are badly off differ from the approach of others?

4. What examples of prejudice and misunderstanding does Little Tree encounter at the orphanage?

5. How does this episode on the old farm symbolize both the cruelty and generosity observed by Granpa in his youth?

6. What are the main purposes served by the incident in which Granpa is bitten by the rattlesnake?

7. Identify two specific lessons that Little Tree learns from his family and that are reinforced by Mr. Wine.

8. What are the author's reasons for introducing the sharecropper and his daughter to the reader?

9. What does Chapter 16 suggest about the place of church going in the lives of Little Tree's family?

10. How does the description of the incident with Mr. Slick and Mr. Chunk demonstrate the author's ability to use humor?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The controversy surrounding the authorship of the novel has led to the view that it is not a suitable book for teaching about the lives of American Indians. Discuss the dangers and merits involved in using this novel to teach the young about the lives and beliefs of American Indians and suggest methods that should be used to avert such dangers.

Essay Topic 2

It is sometimes the case that major characters in a story are used by the author to express his / her own point-of-view. Of all of the characters in "The Education of Little Tree," suggest with reasons, which one(s) you believe is (are) reflecting most closely the author's opinions.

Essay Topic 3

Forrest Carter makes significant use of symbolism in the novel. Using specific examples of different types of symbols, write a detailed analysis of the author's use of symbolism throughout the novel. Where is it seen? How effectively is it used?

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