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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. What is the purpose of the chutes at the McPherons' place?

2. How long is the male student's report?

3. Who at first refuses to pay Ike and Bobby?

4. What happens when Victoria declines a ride from a school boy?

5. What does Mrs. Beckman tend to use when she talks?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Victoria end up going to Denver?

2. What do the McPheron brothers do after Victoria's examination is finished?

3. Who gathers at the McPherons' for a Memorial Day celebration and what do the brothers tell Guthrie?

4. What does Victoria do for her lunch break, who does she encounter and what is the end result?

5. What happens at the barbershop when Ike and Bobby go there to collect their newspaper money?

6. What does Maggie tell Victoria she has to do to make certain she is pregnant, what is the result and what does Maggie then tell Victoria she will do? What does Victoria ask Maggie?

7. What does Crowder decide to do about Russell, what is Russell's father's response and what does Crowder tell Guthrie when they leave?

8. What do Ike and Bobby do after their paper route on the morning their horse is sick? What happens to the horse and what does the veterinarian do?

9. When does Victoria go into labor, how does she handle it and how do the McPherons handle it? What does she deliver?

10. What does Maggie tell Harold at the store and what do he and his brother decide they need to do?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss one of the following:

1. Thoroughly analyze how the setting informs the plot in Plainsong.

2. Trace and analyze one major theme of Plainsong. How is the theme represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

3. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of Plainsong. How are the themes represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

Essay Topic 2

The boys arrive home and notice that their mother is still in her room. They wonder if she has been there all day. The boys go to the corral and herd the horses into the barn. They saddle the horses and ride west along the railroad tracks. Nine and ten year old boys Ike and Bobby seem to enjoy a great deal of independence compared to similar aged children who live in cities.

1. Discuss the differences that might be evident between raising children in a small town as opposed to a larger city. Use examples from the text to support your answer.

2. Do you think Ike and Bobby would have the same amount of independence if their mother was different? Why or why not? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

3. Discuss what you can discern so far of the character and personalities of Ike and Bobby. Use examples from the text to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of change. Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with change? Why? What are some symbols of change? Symbols of rigidity? What characters seem rigid?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of mental/emotional illness. Which characters struggle with some sort of emotional illness? Why? Which characters seem really healthy emotionally/mentally? Why?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of death. How did the death of Ike and Bobby's horse affect them? What about Mrs. Stearns? How was their reaction to both deaths similar and different?

4. Discuss why Ella Guthrie moving to Denver was a type of death for the Guthrie family. Use examples from the book to illustrate your discussion.

(see the answer keys)

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