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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 sang an old mourning song by the graveside after Hector's casket was buried?

2. What is the best thing the narrator recalls his father saying to him?

3. Who does the narrator say he knows is buried in Hector's empty coffin?

4. At the graveside, what does the narrator hope whoever killed Hector would do?

5. How many children did Hector's grandmother have?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the best thing the narrator's father ever said to him?

2. How does the narrator feel at the end of the story standing in the cemetery?

3. How does the narrator imagine Hector met his death after leaving for Spokane?

4. What does the narrator plan to do at the end of the story?

5. What does one of the mourners say will happen in 100 years before they leave the cemetery?

6. What does the narrator say about why he does not know the mourning song his mother "whisper-sang" (3) after the mourners left the cemetery?

7. Why does the narrator feel certain Hector was most likely killed by a member of his own tribe?

8. What does the narrator hopes the Indians who killed his uncle did as they buried him?

9. Why does the narrator feel certain Hector would not have been killed by a white man?

10. Who is Agnes? Why does the narrator have a picture of her?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay examining the ending of "Happy Trails." How did the ending fit into the storyline? Do you think the ending was effective? What theme might the ending represent? What might the author have done differently?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay comparing and contrasting Hector and the narrator in "Happy Trails." What details help develop their character and what do these details tell you about them? What is their background? How do they know each other? In what ways are they similar or different? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Genre is a category assigned to a literary work, like a novel. What are some genres that could be used to classify "Happy Trails"? What is the main genre of the story? Explain.

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