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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 long ago did the narrator's father die?

2. What sad thing was said at Hector's funeral in regards to his lack of fear of the white man?

3. How old was the narrator when he had his first kiss?

4. What did the narrator's cousin tell him they could do if they were royalty?

5. How many of the narrator's cousin live in poverty on the reservation?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who does the narrator live with? Why do other Indians not judge him for this?

2. What type of person does the narrator say Hector was? How old would he be if he were alive? What does the narrator think Hector would be like?

3. Why does the narrator say people have a tendency to aggrandize the dead?

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

5. What was the funniest thing said at Hector's funeral?

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

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

8. When the narrator's mother says Hector was a good man, the narrator says he was great. Does he really believe Hector was great? How do you know?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The only characters named in the story are Hector and Agnes. Write an essay analyzing why the author chose to name only these two characters. What impact did this have on your reading? How might this choice represent the theme of inherited pain or oppression?

Essay Topic 2

Write a brief essay elaborating on the narrator's comment that his mother did not share her traditions with him. What does this mean? How does this develop the story's themes?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay about the author of "Happy Trails." Who is he? What else has he written? How is "Happy Trails" similar or different from his other works?

(see the answer keys)

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