View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Dave believe?

2. What call does Dave get to investigate?

3. Who visits Dave later that night after Claudette?

4. Where does Dave apply for a job?

5. What does Dautrieve ask Dave when Dautrieve calls?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Dave calls Dautrieve, what does Dave learn?

2. Why does Dautrieve question Dave about dead men turning up?

3. What does Dave find when he searches Romero's apartment?

4. Why does Claudette come to Dave's home and what does she do?

5. What happens that Dave is able to start his new job?

6. Who does Dave go to see after Annie is buried and what happens?

7. Describe the night of Annie's murder.

8. What murder scene does Dave investigate?

9. Describe the confrontation between Dave and Romero.

10. What does Dave ask Annie to do and how does she respond both to his request and her meeting Claudette?/

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose one of the following to discuss:

1. Choose two significant symbols and trace and analyze their appearance in the novel. Are these universal symbols? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other symbols that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Burke chooses the symbols he does?

2. Choose two important metaphors and trace and analyze their appearance in the novel. Are these universal metaphors? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other metaphors that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Burke chooses the metaphors he does?

3. Discuss James Lee Burke's use (or lack ) of literary device (such as foreshadowing, clifthangers, deux ex machina, etc.), and how they add or detract from the story. Does Burke use too many or too little literary techniques? State which of the five major elements of fiction the literary device is related to (style, character, plot, setting, theme).

Essay Topic 2

Heaven's Prisoners is considered a crime/murder mystery, a sub-genre of fiction. Discuss the following:

1. Define genre and then specifically crime/murder mystery.

2. What do you think is the difference between a suspense novel and a murder mystery?

3. Many in the world of academe do not see mystery as a serious genre, that its primary purpose is entertainment and not "worthy" of being studied by serious students of literature? Respond to that idea.

Essay Topic 3

In Chapter 3, after Dave is beaten rather severely and spends the night in the hospital, he talks with the local sheriff. During the interview with the local sheriff, Dave quickly concludes that the sheriff has no intention of doing anything. Discuss one of the following:

1. Why do you think the sheriff seems uninterested in following up on a person being beaten? Do you think this is common law enforcement practice? Do you think if the sheriff had taken action and arrested Eddie Keats, Dave would not have taken punishment into his own hands and not sparked off a chain of violence? Does violence beget violence in other works and in a sense is Dave partly responsible for Annie's death and perhaps even the sheriff who declines to take the first act of violence seriously.

2. It seems many people in the "real" world expect a lot of police officers when it comes to protecting them and their property, but when it comes to enforcing laws that the people themselves break, they think the police are unfair to too zealous. (for example, the way many people respond to a ticket for a driving violation). Is this fair to the police officers? Is it just human nature to respond when "caught"? Discuss fully using examples from the book and your own experiences.

3. Trace and analyze the actions of enforcement officers, both local police and the INS and DEA agents. Are they all ethical? Humane? Competent? What are their motives for police work? Use specific examples to illustrate your statements.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,308 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample