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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 does the narrator say likely killed Hector by accident?

2. At the graveside, what does the narrator hope the Indians who killed Hector did as they "buried his body deep in the woods" (3)?

3. What does the narrator plan to do at the end of the story as he stands in the cemetery?

4. The narrator says that Hector's grandmother's children were the first generation to do what?

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

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What does the narrator wish one of his uncle's killers would do after the funeral?

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

4. Why does the narrator say it was inevitable that Hector would become "a violent man who died violently" (3)?

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

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

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

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

9. 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?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Write a brief essay about the significance of the narrator's relationship with his cousin on the story. How does this relationship move the plot?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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