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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. Why were two men who the INS arrested quickly released?

2. What does Dave arrange for Robin?

3. What does David do when he sees the car?

4. Of what origin do the adult females seem to be?

5. To whom does Dave hand the girl?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Minos P. Dautrieve.

2. What do Dave and Annie witness as they are about to have lunch?

3. What is an indication of Robin's possibly over drinking?

4. What does Dave conclude about the incident in the bayou?

5. What do Dave and Annie do in response to the event they witness?

6. How do Dave and Annie learn more about Alafair?

7. How does Dave begin his investigation?

8. Who does Dave think about as he is sitting in church and what are his thoughts on the subject?

9. What does Dave learn when he sees Dautrieve the day after the bayou incident?

10. What police department did Dave work for and why is he no longer employed there?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of James Lee Burke.

2. What in Burke's background may have helped Burke in writing HEAVEN'S PRISONERS? What may have influenced the way he depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.

Essay Topic 2

Dave's various flashbacks to Vietnam and life as a young man with his father provide interesting parallels to his current situation. He recalls events because they were morally equivalent to his current situation. Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze Dave's life as a young man with his father and how those memories are related to the plot of this story. What symbols/metaphors are common to both? What of Dave's feelings are common to both? Does Dave react differently as a grown man than when he was young? How? If not, would you say he has not learned from his life experiences?

2. Trace and analyze Dave's various flashbacks to Vietnam and how those memories are related to the plot of this story. Why symbols/metaphors are common to both? What of Dave's feelings are common to both? Does Dave react differently as an older man than when he was a young man? How? If not, would you say he has not learned from his life experiences?

3. Do you think Burke would have used as many flashbacks in this book had this book not been part of a series? How much do the flashbacks shown in this book affect the current storyline? Do readers need the information presented in the flashbacks to understand the storyline ongoing in the present? Would there be any other way to understand Dave's complex personality without flashbacks? Justify your answers with specific examples from the text.

Essay Topic 3

Interesting characters contribute a great deal to the success of most novels. Discuss one of the following using specific examples from the text in your discussion:

1. Dave is singly the most important and most visible character of all the characters. Discuss Dave's most prominent character strengths and flaws and how they impact the other characters in the novel.

2. Define the term "character foil" and discuss which characters serve as a "foil" to Dave's character. How do they do so? Why do they do so? How does having a foil to a character help define and make that character more complex? How does it do so in Dave's case?

3. Discuss four secondary characters. What are their flaws and strengths? How do they contribute or detract from Dave's efforts at a normal, quiet life? What is Dave's opinion of each of the four characters? Does he like them? Tolerate them? Admire or despise them? Use specific examples from the text in your discussion.

(see the answer keys)

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