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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. Who tells Beret about the argument between the settlers of Spring Creek and the men of the large caravan?

2. What does Per Hansa ask the Indians for?

3. Who does Per Hansa send down to the creek to look for the missing cows?

4. What does Per Hansa name the pony that is given to him by the Indian chief?

5. What does Per Hansa bring back to camp in Book 1, Chapter 1 to appease his wife?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Per Hansa left behind when the other men travel to town? How does he react to this?

2. How does Henry Solum's teach school in the settlement?

3. Why do the Solum boys want to travel back East for the winter? What do they ask of Per Hansa and what is his reaction?

4. Why does Tonseten need to talk to the minister in private?

5. What happens to Hans Olsa in the final chapter of the book?

6. Who goes to look for the cattle? What happens when this character returns?

7. In Book 1, Chapter 4, Per Hansa is surveying his property and finds wooden stakes in the ground. Where does Per find the stakes, what do they mean, and how does he react to this discovery?

8. What is some of Beret's strange behavior that Per Hansa shares with the minister?

9. In Book 1, Chapter 6, we get a glimpse into the mind of Beret Hansa. Why does Beret consider her life at the settlement as a punishment from God?

10. Why are the new people that come upon the Spring Creek settlement in Book 1, Chapter 5 reluctant to stay there? What is Tonseten's response?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Giants in the Earth is full of lush description and vivid imagery. Discuss this imagery, using several examples from the book. Where and how does the author use devices such as personification, simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia, etc.? How do they add to the novel? What impact do they have on the reader?

Essay Topic 2

The theme or struggle of man versus nature is present in the novel in many ways. Discuss the struggle within the novel. How does nature dictate the success of the men? How does it dictate their daily lives? How are the men successful despite the forces of nature? Explain using examples.

Essay Topic 3

The men and the women in the novel seem to have very separate and distinct roles in the novel. Describe the different roles in the novel. What are the roles of the men? Are these roles of typical pioneer men? What are the roles of the women? Are these roles of typical pioneer women? How are the men and women separated or characterized in the novel? Provide examples from the book.

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