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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 Frank, Jake, and Warren Redstone hear sirens and Frank yells, "Here! He's here!" (168), what does Warren Redstone say to Frank before running away?

2. After Ruth insults Julia and the Brandts leave, Nathan asks Ruth if there is any way he can help her get rid of her anger. What is her reply?

3. What advice does Gus give to Frank and Jake when they ask for his help?

4. Before Frank goes back home, he hears a strange sound. What does he finally realize is the source of this sound?

5. What happens just before Ruth stands up from the kitchen table and announces she is leaving the family to go to her father's house to stay for a while?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Warren Redstone play a role in the altercation between Frank and Morris Engdahl?

2. When the sheriff finally notices Frank standing in the doorway after the questioning, what idea does he provide that gives Ruth hope?

3. Who acts as the go-between, bringing news back and forth between the police station and the Drum family and how does this role fit the character's relationship to the family?

4. What is the first action Frank takes when he gets home as a result of listening to Nathan's sermon?

5. What revelations does the sheriff communicate to Nathan when they meet in Nathan's office at the church and who becomes a suspect as a result of these revelations?

6. What, if any, clues do Karl, Frank, Jake, the sheriff, and Officer Doyle find when they get to Sibley Park, the site of the bonfire party?

7. Why is Frank initially not very worried about Ariel when she does not return home the night of the Fourth of July?

8. What causes Ruth to get less and less hopeful about Ariel's safe return as phone calls continue to stream into their home?

9. What is the cause of Lise's heightened anxiety and frantic behavior when Nathan goes to Emil's house to talk to Ruth?

10. What timeline does Karl present when he is questioned by the police?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author uses a prologue and an epilogue in order to present a framed narrative, one in which a narrator starts the story in present time, tells the entirety of the story within the bulk of the book, and ends by joining the reader again in present time. What effect does this aspect have on the overall meaning of the novel and what is the author's purpose for making the story into a framed narrative in this way?

Essay Topic 2

How does the novel's title express its themes? Use three different scenes and related concrete details to prove your claim.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the author's use of red herrings within his mystery narrative. How are they used and what messages does the author send through their use?

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