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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. When the racially charged argument is broken up, which character gets his tooth chipped?

2. When the troops go on pacification missions, who are they trying to convince the villagers are the enemy?

3. In a note to Peewee, who does Earlene promise to name her next child after?

4. How does Lieutenant Doyle feel about this war?

5. What is the name of the military leader that wants to kill more Vietcong so that he will be promoted?

Short Essay Questions

1. Before the troops see any action, what does Richie think about the fighting?

2. What news does Peewee receive from home in a letter from Earlene?

3. What happens to the soldiers while they are on a layover in Osaka, Japan?

4. What is the reaction of the soldiers when they receive their assignments to be moved to Chu Lia?

5. What happens when the new soldiers meet Johnson?

6. Why is Richie's troop reassigned from the pacification mission in the village?

7. What happens when Richie sees the body bags lined up at his base?

8. What reasons drew Richie into joining the army?

9. What advice does Walowick give to Richie in regard to the dead Vietcong soldier?

10. What happens to Richie's knee, and why is he still sent to Vietnam?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

All of the soldiers in Richie's squad have joined the army for very different reasons. Choose three soldiers from Richie's squad and briefly describe their reasons for joining the army. Then, explain how those motivations affected the soldier's performance in battle.

Essay Topic 2

Richie's medical records float through the novel, appearing regularly to remind the reader how unorganized then military office is during the war. Briefly explain what the medical records meant to Richie, and how their inability to be locked down led the reader to see the chaos and uncertainty of war.

Essay Topic 3

Richie struggles, through much of the novel, to differentiate the difference between the "good guys" and the "bad guys" in war. Explain Richie's though process and how its changed over his time in Vietnam. Then briefly explain how the novel presents the idea of what is "good" and "bad" about war.

(see the answer keys)

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