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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 objects do the survivors of the massacre give to the man who helps their wounded?

2. On what continent had Lorimer attended college?

3. How long after Håkan's parting from Lorimer does Pingo become ill?

4. What action does Hakan refuse to take throughout most of the journey to America?

5. Toward what location does Lorimer travel when he parts ways with Håkan?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what way does Diaz feature the motif of sound within the scene of the massacre?

2. Discuss an instance when the theme of collectivism appears within the novel.

3. What similarity between Native American and Swedish culture does Håkan identify?

4. As Håkan's first summer away from his family comes to a close, what is said to be "all Håkan could think of" (40)?

5. Describe the distinctive opening of Chapter 6 and its use of sensory details.

6. What coping mechanism does Håkan employ in order to get his fear under control and what is its level of effectiveness??

7. On what type of food does Håkan survive after he escapes from the diseased woman's clutches?

8. Describe the striking opening image of In the Distance.

9. In what location does the prologue of the novel take place?

10. Describe Håkan's experiences in Clangston.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Trace the characterization arc of Håkan’s character throughout the novel In the Distance. Discuss whether Håkan is a round or flat character and whether Håkan is a static or dynamic character.

Essay Topic 2

Sensory details are used frequently by Diaz in order to create vivid pictures of each character's progression through the narrative of In the Distance. Choose three scenes in which sensory details are heavily used and discuss how the sensory details used serve Diaz’s creation of vivid characters to populate the narrative.

Essay Topic 3

Look carefully at the passages of In the Distance that describe the close relationships between Håkan and his various mentors within the narrative. What is Diaz’s purpose for portraying three characters as different as James Brennan, Lorimer, and Asa in the roles of Håkan’s mentors?

(see the answer keys)

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