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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 interviews the band?

2. Over what does Victor weep?

3. About what does Victor lie concerning Junior?

4. What does the band leave in New York?

5. What does the elderly woman say to Thomas?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Victor see Junior again and what does he do when he sees Junior?

2. Where does Johnson stay on the reservation, what is his hope and what does Big Mom tell him?

3. What does Big Mom tell Checkers about Father Arnold and what does Checkers do about it?

4. How do Thomas and the sisters get money to leave the reservation and what do they see as they are leaving?

5. What happens to the band in the recording studio?

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

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

8. Why does Wright bust into Checkers' hotel room?

9. What was Big Mom's past connection with Michael White Hawk?

10. What does Victor do at the studio and after they leave?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The narrative in Chapter 4 switches back and forth between the present and the past when Thomas' father, Samuel, played basketball with the tribal police. The incident with the police shows in many ways how some reservation residents resent any member of the tribe that succeeds. While some reservation residents engage in almost hero worship of one who excels, plenty of others seem to feel jealousy to the point of hatred.

1. Why do you think some poor people might get jealous of people from their circumstances doing well? Use examples from your own life and the text to support your answer.

2. What do you think is the differences in the people who hero worship someone who has done well as opposed to ones who are angry or hateful towards that person? Use examples from your own life and the text to support your answer.

3. Why do you think the police became violent when playing ball with Samuel? 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

Characters are an important part of what makes "Reservation Blues" interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Thomas. What are his strengths? His weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he always likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

2. Thoroughly discuss and analyze the character of Chess. What are her strengths? Her weaknesses? How does she contribute to the plot? Is she a sympathetic character? Is she ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

3. Thoroughly discuss and analyze the character of Junior. What are his strengths? His weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

(see the answer keys)

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