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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 does Blue Duck die?

2. What does the Suggs brothers gang do to the farmer they meet?

3. Who dies at Clara's ranch?

4. Who tells Newt and the boys to get drunk before seeing the prostitutes?

5. Where does Gus want to be buried?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Old Hugh do for the ranch?

2. What makes Call mad in Ogallala?

3. What does Clara suggest to Lorena?

4. What does Clara tell Gus about marriage?

5. What does July offer Gus?

6. What does the crew report about Jake?

7. Why does Clara want Call to change his mind about honoring Gus' request?

8. Deets tells Gus and Call that the tracks leading away from the fight with Wilbarger include Jake's horse. What does Gus say?

9. What does Deets find on the Arkansas River?

10. What happens between Dish and Dixon?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Jake Spoon is both a lawman and an outlaw. He is a former Texas Ranger who dies as part of a murdering gang of horse thieves.

Part 1) How do Jake's characteristics influence his decline from lawman to outlaw? Choose events from the novel that illustrate these characteristics.

Part 2) How does Jake feel about his decline? What are his feelings towards Call and Gus? What are his feelings toward Dan Suggs?

Part 3) Could Jake have redeemed himself? Where in the story could he go back to the right side of the law? How might he have accomplished that? Use examples from the novel.

Essay Topic 2

Clara accuses Call of ruining his and Gus's life.

Part 1) Did Call ruin Gus's life? How or how not? Use examples from the novel to support your answer.

Part 2) Did Call ruin his own life? How or how not?

Part 3) Does Call ruin Clara's life? In what way? Does she blame Call for Gus's death?

Essay Topic 3

The novel is full of tragedies, such as the deaths of Sean and Deets. Pick three tragedies in the novel and explain how the surviving characters cope. How are the tragedies similar? How are they different? Are they a result of choices or accident?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 780 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample