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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. Who do Call and Gus NOT bury?

2. Where is Blue Duck?

3. Who gets knocked unconscious by a soldier?

4. What does Gus tell Newt while Call carves the sign for Deets?

5. What river does the herd finally find after the sandstorm?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens between Dish and Dixon?

2. Why does Call tell the men not to leave, once they found a place for the ranch headquarters?

3. What happens to Elmira when she sees Dee?

4. What is one of the last things Gus does after Call arrives?

5. Why is Po Campo not as excited about reaching Ogallala as the rest of the crew?

6. What does July do at the bar Elmira used to work at?

7. When riding and talking with Gus, what confuses Newt?

8. Why does Clara get so mad at July?

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

10. How does Lorena feel when she hears about Jake's hanging?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Justice is a recurring theme. How do different characters seek and find justice? In what circumstances do they decide not to seek justice? Explain the difference in those circumstances. How does seeking justice (or not seeking justice) affect the plot? Use examples from the novel.

Essay Topic 2

Being racist is to judge a person based on his or her race instead of the person as an individual. Write an essay addressing any racism in Lonesome Dove.

Part 1) Are the Hat Creek men racist toward Mexicans? Include examples from the novel explaining your answer.

Part 2) Are the Hat Creek men racist toward Indians? Include examples from the novel explaining your answer.

Part 3) Do the Hat Creek men discriminate against any other groups? If so, what groups? How do they discriminate? If not, show examples of the men treating other groups as equals.

Essay Topic 3

Newt is a character on the edge of adulthood. Write an essay about Newt's transition to adulthood.

Part 1) What are the rites of passage that define him?

Part 2) What kind of adult does Newt want to become?

Part 3) Who are Newt's role models? Why does he look up to those role models? Use examples from the novel.

(see the answer keys)

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