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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 parts of Håkan's body are restrained when he regains consciousness inside his jail cell?

2. Håkan strikes "eastward as" what season again comes "to an end" (161)?

3. Håkan is adamant when he tells Asa what information?

4. How many Indian lodges does Håkan encounter when he is drawn to them by the sound of music?

5. Håkan sees which of his own acts as an act against god?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what way is the sheriff's corruption the key to Håkan's freedom?

2. Describe an instance when a literary device is used in conjunction with the motif of violence.

3. During the period of time when Håkan travels with the help of a burro and a horse, how does he view his goal destination of New York City?

4. Who is Jarvis?

5. What event leads to Håkan's first experience of an emotion "other than pain and guilt" (140) since the killings?

6. Describe the way in which Håkan views the event he consistently calls "the killings" (130) throughout the narrative.

7. What is the significance of the wooden dresser Håkan finds in the desert?

8. How is the theme of violence portrayed within the sheriff's interaction with Håkan?

9. Which of the five senses does Håkan most strongly associate with the presence of humans?

10. What characteristic of Asa makes a deep impression on Håkan?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explicate the theme of hope within In the Distance. What is Diaz’s message regarding hope and how do you know?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze the ways in which the themes of adaptability and resignation appear within Diaz’s novel In the Distance. What message is Diaz sending about these two themes over the course of the narrative?

Essay Topic 3

Could In the Distance be classified as a coming-of-age novel? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,134 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample