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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. After coffee and a smoke, Ben tells Jerome...

2. What is Emma's weapon of choice?

3. Emma saves an orphaned deer from being killed by...

4. What is the history of Jerome's stonecutting business?

5. What made Emma Lou finally decide to go to Jerome's door?

Short Essay Questions

1. What makes Emma so contentious and determined to battle with Donald Cabot?

2. What makes Jerome feel better about the lonesomeness of his home?

3. Although Jerome is proud of the fireplace he built, he has walled up his stonemason's tools inside. Discuss why that might be.

4. Discuss the sense of mourning in the house over Charmine's demise.

5. Jerome tells Old Grouch that he dealt with sad people. What was so sad about Jerome's profession?

6. What can we assume about Emma, based on her trip through the blackberry patch and her prized beany?

7. Write a short essay about the subtle clues regarding Jerome's life. This is something of a fantasy story, but there are real life elements that are only mentioned in passing. What are they, and what do they indicate?

8. How does Emma Lou know the mountain lion is gone? Why doesn't she tell Jerome?

9. After carving Charmine's gravestone, what is Jerome inspired to do next? Why?

10. How does Jerome deal with the rats who have nested in his wall?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Much of the Kildee House story is involved with wild animals. Find the ways in which the author uses the animals as symbolism, and to draw parallels to human life.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the use of symbolism in terms of the structure of the small Kildee house. Several aspects of the house provide clues into Jerome's life and the path he is destined to take. Consider Jerome's fireplace, window, back wall and kitchen. What might each of these represent?

Essay Topic 3

Why does Emma Lou seem to want all of these animals to be at Jerome's? Rather than chasing them away, she wants the families to have nests, and even secretly wants Monarch to live with him. Explore the passages in the story where the author makes it obvious that Emma Lou is encouraging this awkward situation. Is this totally self-centered on her part? Does she care about what Jerome wants?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 929 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample