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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 many of the narrator's cousins are in prison?

2. How old would Hector be in the present if he were still alive?

3. Who attended Hector's wake?

4. How long did the mourners stay awake during Hectors wake?

5. Where did Hector say he was headed when he left 41 years ago?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the conversation between the narrator and his mother about whether Hector is alive or not.

2. What does the narrator say was the best part of the funeral?

3. What does the narrator suggest may have happened to Hector as he hitchhiked to Spokane?

4. Who is Hector in relation to the narrator? When was the last time the narrator has seen him?

5. Where was Hector's casket buried? What does the narrator say about the Coeur d'Alene Catholics?

6. What does the narrator say his mother does which made her "good at funerals" (2)?

7. Describe the narrator's relationship with his female cousin whom he describes as gorgeous.

8. What does he say was the saddest thing said about Hector?

9. What does the narrator's mother say about Indian self help books?

10. What does the narrator decide they should do 40 years after Hector disappeared?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Define setting and discuss the significance of Alexie's choice of the reservation and cemetery as setting in the story. How is setting used? Why is it important?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay describing the imagery used in "Happy Trails." Indicate examples of imagery in the text and identify possible meanings.

Essay Topic 3

Write a brief essay analyzing the title "Happy Trails." Explore the ways in which this title connects to the plot and themes of the story.

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This section contains 573 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample