View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the guitar do to Victor?

2. What does Chess say about the city of Seattle?

3. What does Thomas realize about Chess when they first talk?

4. What does the band find when they arrive at Thomas' house?

5. What does Thomas tell the band after he talks to the bar owner?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Father Arnold become a priest and how did he feel about being sent to the reservation?

2. What happens at a rest stop on the way to Seattle?

3. How did Victor and Junior begin drinking and what is Thomas's drinking history?

4. What surprises Thomas about Victor and Junior's music, who comes to listen to the band rehearse, what kind of music do they expect and what does the band actually play?

5. How does Checkers end up getting injured at Thomas' house?

6. What does David Walks Along find when he returns to his office from the band rehearsal and what does the band do when they hear his news?

7. What does the guitar ask of Thomas while they wait for Victor and Junior and what is Thomas' response?

8. What does Thomas ask Chess about her church, what is her response and what story does he tell that starts her crying?

9. What was the mix-up with the gig in Seattle?

10. What is Victor doing while the band is waiting for their turn in the the battle of the bands?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the following:

1. What do you think are the characteristics of a successful novel?

2. Analyze and discuss "Reservation Blues" based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if "Reservation Blues" is a successful novel.

3. Do you think the criteria for a successful novel should be different if it is written for adults versus young adults? Why or why not? Would most adults consider "Reservation Blues" a successful novel? What about young teens?

Essay Topic 2

"Reservation Blues" belongs to the Native American literature genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the fantasy genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think is the difference between Native American literature and an historical novel?

Essay Topic 3

The two men from the record company have the same names as the generals in Junior's dream, and these men were actual figures. Both Wright and Sheridan seem to be the same men that could have been generals in the late nineteenth century, but the band members seem unaware of the similarities. They also seem to be unaware of the strange coincidence in the record company's name of Cavalry Records. Any doubt for the reader that these men are actually Generals Wright and Sheridan is removed after the conversation with Mr. Armstrong, possibly General George Armstrong Custer, when the men share a drink from a very old flask.

1. Why do you think the band members are unaware of who Sheridan and Wright might be? Use examples from your own life and the text to support your answer.

2. Although Wright and Sheridan forced Native Americans onto reservations in the nineteenth century, George Custer was defeated by the Indians. What do you think the symbolism is with Custer being the head of the record company? Use examples from your own life and the text to support your answer.

3. How does the incidences of the supernatural in this story affect the readers' identification with the characters as far as being believable enough to feel empathy with the characters? Use examples from your own life and the text to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,252 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample