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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 does Elder Uncle tell Ishi to seek when he leaves Tuliyani?

2. What do the women do while the men hunt for deer?

3. How does Timawi respond to Elder Uncle's suggestion that he teach Ishi about what he had done wrong?

4. How are the mountain fish that Timawi and Ishi catch different from the fish in the canyon?

5. What reason does Timawi give to explain why it is acceptable to steal saldu food?

Short Essay Questions

1. What assurance does Ishi give to Timawi when Timawi observes that Tushi prefers Ishi's company?

2. Why does Ishi go the Black Rock?

3. How do the saldu treat Ishi's village when they discover it?

4. What does Tushi refuse to wear the sweetgrass bracelet that Timawi wants to give her?

5. How does Tushi's contribution to the move conflict with the traditional expectations that the Yahi have for women?

6. What comment does Grandfather make regarding Ishi's eating after he returns from his journey?

7. Where does Ishi decide to go on his journey?

8. How do the stories that the Yahi tell about Timawi evolve following his death?

9. What makes Ishi's hunting trip with Elder Uncle so memorable?

10. What does Ishi discover when he returns to the village after he moves Mother?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In an October 23, 2009 New York Times article, anthropologist Orin Starn stated, "I think Ishi is important as a symbol, a reminder of what happened to indigenous people during the white takeover and conquest...He really was a victim of a holocaust." Agree or disagree with this statement. Be sure to include specific examples and quotations to support your position.

Essay Topic 2

Even though Ishi dies as the last of his people, he manages to "save" the Yahi in a way. Explain how Ishi is able to preserve the Yahi way and ensure that the culture does not disappear. Provide specific examples and quotations for support.

Essay Topic 3

Throughout the novel, Ishi seems to be a pacifist. He is reprimanded in his youth for not killing the saldu who attempts to lasso Tushi, and he is disturbed by the news of the war across the ocean. Trace Ishi's history as a pacifist and explain how this approach to life influences him in later years. Be sure to include specific examples.

(see the answer keys)

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