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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. Upon whom does Dave call?

2. Why does Romero call Dave?

3. Who may cut a deal with the government?

4. What does Romero do when he sees Dave?

5. Who does Dave call later in the evening after talking with Dautrieve?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

4. What does Dave decide about Bubba?

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

6. What happens with Dave's visit to Monroe?

7. What does Dave do with this new information he gains from Dautrieve about Keats?

8. What is the ongoing argument between Annie and Dave and what does Dave try to do to please Annie about the issue?

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

10. What murder scene does Dave investigate?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Dave begins working as a deputy for the Layfayette Parish Sheriff's Department. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think Dave goes back to police work? Are we told why Dave quit police work with the New Orleans police department? Why?

2. What personality traits of Dave's might make him a good police officer? What would make him a ineffective or less-than-desirable police officer? Which in balancing the two seems to be stronger--his ability to be a good or not-so-great cop? Explain your rationale.

3. Why do you think the Sheriff of Layfaette Parish hires Dave when Dave is obviously drunk when he applies for the position? Is this a responsible thing to do on the Sheriff's part? Do you think the sheriff understands why Dave wants the position?

4. What motivates Dave to quit his job as a police officer at the end of the story? Is this a good decision on his part? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

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.

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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