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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. How has Hightower always perceived his parents?

2. Where does the stranger take Christmas?

3. Who is the National Guard soldier who stakes out Christmas with his troops?

4. What does the old man holler out while waiting on the train to Jefferson?

5. Why does Hightower think he let down the people of Jefferson?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Christmas feel he will be safe at Miss Burden's place?

2. Explain the irony in Miss Burden's nearly nymphomaniac behavior?

3. How does Mrs. Hines indirectly cause the death of Christmas, her grandson?

4. Why is Hightower so upset that Byron has asked for his help with the situations regarding Lena and Christmas?

5. How does Christmas know that he has run far enough for now?

6. Why are the townspeople anxious to find Miss Burden's killer?

7. Explain this statement made by Christmas: "Whether they are seventeen or fortyseven, when they finally come to surrender completely, it's going to be in words."

8. As Christmas runs to avoid the law, he stops at a cabin and trades shoes with a Negro woman. What is the significance of the traded shoes?

9. The cries of Lena's newborn child are significant for Byron. Why?

10. What is the symbolism of the odor in Hightower's house?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Faulkner compares Joe Christmas to Jesus Christ which is a popular literary technique in Faulkner's time. Identify the ways in which Christmas and Christ have similarities. Do you think this is blasphemous? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Christmas has a few dreamlike episodes where he disassociates himself from his actions. Why do you think he does this? Are these situations really just dreams or are they really happening?

Essay Topic 3

A major theme in the book is the status and treatment of women in society. Why are women who step outside the boundaries of so-called proper behavior chastised and alienated by the men but accepted by the women? Why are the prominent men in the town especially anxious to get rid of Lena? Why do they not show any compassion for the young woman?

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This section contains 855 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample