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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. According to the first confession the police hear in Section 7, who is accused of fooling a man into allowing him access to a shelter after the murder?

2. What do the confessions the police obtain insinuate Colasberna did to cause him to be murdered?

3. What does Marchica believe after the police show him a confession in Section 6?

4. How many characters are shown at the beginning of Section 9?

5. According to the first confession the police hear in Section 7, who claims they had no prior knowledge about the murder until after it occurred?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the author say Marchica feels about going to prison in Section 7?

2. What is the nature of the police's first interrogation of Pizzuco in Section 6 of the book?

3. What do the two men talking at the beginning of Section 9 decide to do for Marchica?

4. Why does Pizzuco tell the police he didn't come to them with information regarding Salvatore's murder at the end of Section 7?

5. Why do the police arrest Marchica before the other suspects in Section 6?

6. How does Marchica react when the police show him a confession in Section 6?

7. What is the nature of the conversation between two high-ranking officials regarding a newspaper in Section 8?

8. How does the farmer the captain meets in Section 8 describe the meaning of his dog's name?

9. How does Don Arena react to his police interrogation in Section 9?

10. How is the Grimoli Chiarchiaro first described in the book?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the nature of power that is portrayed in the book, namely in regards to the police and the mafia. How do these two groups seek and use power differently and similarly? What does this use of power tell us about the nature of each organization?

Essay Topic 2

The portrayal of class is an important theme developed by the author to showcase the vast gap between those of influence and the commoner. Part 1.) How does it appear that the mafia keeps the unfair balance between the upper and lower classes intact in the book? Part 2.) What can we learn about the nature of those in the upper class based on the conversations of unnamed high-ranking officials throughout the book? Part 3.) What evidence is present to suggest that those in the lower class are making efforts to better their situations based on their portrayal in the book?

Essay Topic 3

Throughout the book, the author conducts an intense analysis of the true nature of the Sicilian mafia. Part 1.) What role does the mafia play in the dynamic of Sicilian culture based on their portrayal in the book? Part 2.) What evidence is present to suggest that the Sicilian mafia's influence in their region is long-term and not likely to change? Part 3.) What might the author be trying shine light on regarding the Sicilian mafia based on the outcome of the book?

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