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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 do Venters and Bess hear as they take a last look at the sun setting over the sage?
2. Who is following Lassiter and Jane as they head for Surprise Valley?
3. Who tells Bess about the fate of her father?
4. Before Venters returns to Surprise Valley, what does Jane have for him?
5. In the final pursuit of Bess and Venters, who is on the white horse?
Short Essay Questions
1. Lassiter arrives in Surprise Valley and meets Bess. He studies her, and, then, suddenly rises to leave. What is Lassiter thinking? What do you think he has figured out about Bess?
2. Venters gives a tribute to Jane when he faces Tull. How does Jane react to this? Describe the range of her emotions.
3. When Venters tells Bess he must return to Cottonwoods for supplies, what does she think? Why does Bess not feel worthy of Venters attention? What has changed Venters since he came to the valley?
4. What do Bess and Venters think about when they find human bone in the cliff dwellings?
5. Why is Bess afraid to tell Venters about the gold? What does she think he will do? Why?
6. Judkins comes to tell Jane the white herd is missing. What happened to them? Who was lost? How does this compare to Lassiter's work earlier in the novel with the white herd?
7. What is the bet between Venters and Jane about the speed of the horses? Who is right in the end?
8. What is the symbolism of Jane giving her horses to Venters and Bess? How does this show forgiveness?
9. When Venters arrives back at Jane's house from Surprise Valley, how has Venters changed? How have his feelings toward Jane changed? Why is this important?
10. Even though Jane knows that the house has been fired, she doesn't look back. Why? Is this part of her "giving up?"
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Describe the final showdown between Oldring and Venters. What does this scene tell the reader about Bess? Is the connection between Bess and Lassiter and Jane made clear at this point? When does it become clear to the reader who Bess is and where she comes from?
Essay Topic 2
What is the symbolism of gold in this story? What three times is it used in the story? What characters are involved? Describe the scenes and then explain the symbolism of gold.
Essay Topic 3
Compare Venters's judgment of Bess to his judgment of Lassiter. Both Lassiter and Bess were knows for their evil past, but how does Venters view each person? What does this say about the character of Venters?
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This section contains 1,067 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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