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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. What do Dave and the police do?

2. Who is the man Dave goes to investigate?

3. About what do Dave and Annie continue to argue?

4. Who arrives after Annie is killed?

5. What does Dave do at the only laundry facility he believes may be Romero's cousin's place?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Romero tell Dave when he calls Dave and what is Dave's reaction?

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

3. Describe the confrontation between Dave and Romero.

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

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

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

7. What does Dave decide about Bubba?

8. Why is Robin waiting for Dave one evening and what happens?

9. Describe Claudette Rocque.

10. What does Dautrieve warn Dave about and what is Dave's response?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Dave Robicheaux is the main character in a number of mystery novels by James Lee Burke. One of the most interesting things about Robicheaux is his Cajun background. It is therefore, useful to understand a little of Cajun culture. Discuss the following:

1. Who are the Cajuns? In what area of the United States do they reside? Who are several famous "real-life" Cajuns?

2. Describe some of the major aspects of the Cajun culture.

3. What about Dave Robicheaux reveals his Cajun heritage?

4. Why do you think James Lee Burke chooses to make his primary protagonist Cajun?

Essay Topic 2

Claudette murders her husband, Bubba, in a seemingly cold, calculated way. Discuss the following:

1. Trace and analyze the relationship between Bubba and Claudette. Why do you think the two marry initially? What goes wrong in their relationship?

2. How do you think Claudette is able to murder someone with whom she has lived and been involved with sexually? Do you think Bubba brings the murder on partly because of his abuse of Claudette?

3. Does Bubba get what he deserves? Should Claudette receive the death penalty? Do you think she could use the battered wife syndrome as a defense? (You may need to research that term).

Essay Topic 3

Dave succumbs to his inner demons and engages on a prolonged bout of serious drinking. Throughout this period he spends many nights passed out in the bayou and many days drinking in a bar. Discuss one of the following:

1. What is an alcoholic? Do you think Dave is an alcoholic? What indications are there that Dave is or is not an alcoholic? What about Robin? Is she an alcoholic? How does she stop drinking? Do you think it will last?

2. What do most alcoholics do to quit drinking? Is Dave doing any of those things? Should he? Do you think it will be effective given his state of mind?

3. There is something called an "alcoholic personality," which some people have characteristics of even if they are not drinking. These people are called dry drunks. Research this concept and analyze Dave's personality in light of those characteristics. Do you think Dave is a dry drunk (Before Annie is killed)? Do the parts of his personality that contribute to his involvement and violent behavior fit that of a dry drunk?

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