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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 does Chess think she sees?

2. How many people come to Junior's funeral?

3. What does Big Mom do on the day of the funeral?

4. What does Wright say as to why he is helping the band?

5. Who does Thomas want to vote out of the band?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Michael White Hawk sees Victor, Junior, Betty and Veronica?

2. How does Father Arnold end up going to comfort the band?

3. What does Johnson convince Big Mom to do and what does she give him? Why does she give him it?

4. What are Victor and Junior doing while Thomas and Chess are at the hotel?

5. What do Sheridan and Wright do after talking to the band?

6. What knocks the band to the ground and what does Thomas ask Big Mom? How does she respond to his question?

7. What does Victor dream about the guitar?

8. What happens when Thomas and Chess return to the hotel and what surprises them about their room?

9. What problem does the band encounter at the airport and what does Thomas do during the flight?

10. What happens to Thomas in church and what does he decide needs done?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The relationship between Thomas and his tormentors Victor and Junior is familiar and conditioned over time. Clearly these men have known each other since childhood and they continue to act the same way toward each other as they did as children. Victor and Junior are the oppressors, and Thomas is the passive victim.

1. Why do you think it is difficult to change our relationship with a person we have known for many years? Use examples from your own life and the text to support your answer.

2. What do you think are some of the reasons a bully victimizes others? Use examples from your own life and the text to support your answer.

3. Why do you think Thomas remains passive when he is bullied by Victor and Junior? Look at Thomas, not only in the present, but also the clues one is given from his childhood. Use examples from your own life and the text to support your answer.

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

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Sherman Alexie.

2. What in Alexie's background may have helped him in writing "Reservation Blues"? What may have influenced the way he depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,130 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample