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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 has Louisa been doing on the canyon floor?

2. What does Chandler figure will happen to Plymale if Joanna's lineage is irrefutably proven?

3. Why is the FBI concerned with the diamond?

4. For what is Joanna Craig searching?

5. Why is Billy Tuve is silent and non-responsive?

Short Essay Questions

1. What besides Billy's brain injury could be a reason for his inability to give a date of his Kiva ritual?

2. What story does Shorty tell that is the motivation for the setting moving to the floor of the Grand Canyon?

3. Why do you think Hillerman introduces a character, Louisa Berbonette, in Chapter 5, who plays no part in the rest of the story?

4. What does the telephone conversation between Bernie and Chee say about their relationship?

5. What does Joanna say that gains Billy Tuve's attention and why?

6. How does Hillerman use the story of the cat in Chapter 6 for more than one purpose?

7. How does the author introduce the Navajo setting and a little of their philosophy?

8. Do you think Louisa's condemnation of the modern pollution of ancient myths is totally logical?

9. When you read that the bail has been suspended for Billy Tuve and why, what is your reaction?

10. How does Joe illustrate his thoughts about events arising from a complex and often invisible series of causes and effects?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The image of rain and storm clouds are prevalent throughout the story and ultimately play a big role at the climax of the story. Answer the following questions by writing a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. Search through the entire novel and enumerate all the references to rain and storms. Do you think earlier references clearly point to what happens in the flood?

2. What is ironic about the rain and Chandler. Explain.

3. Is the fact that nature hands out the final judgment on Chandler something native Americans would believe is just? Why or why not? What about how whites might perceive the situaion?

Essay Topic 2

Getting the most out of this novel requires some familiarity with the Hopi and Navajo cultures. Choose one of the following questions and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. Who are the Hopi? What are some of their beliefs? How do the Hopi live in today's world?

2. Who are the Navajo? What are some of their beliefs? How do the Navajo live in today's world?

3. How do the Navajo and Hopi cultures inform the plot and actions of this novel? Give examples.

4. Compare and contrast the cultures of the Navajo and Hopi.

Essay Topic 3

As the novel opens and then moves along to its conclusion, some characters seem to be more different from each other than first appears and some seem more alike to each other than first appears. Choose one of the following and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. Compare the character of Chandler from who he seems to be during the first half of the book to the person he seems to be in last half. How is he alike? How different? Which "person" do you like the best? Why?

2. Compare the character of Joanna Craig from who she seems to be during the first half of the book to the person she seems to be in the last half. How is she alike? How different? Which "person" do you like the best? Why?

3. Compare and contrast Bernie, Chee, and Joe from who they seem to be when they are first introduced to who they are revealed to be by the end of the story. How much do they either change or become who they really are? Who did you like at first and then dislike by the end of the story--and vice versa? Which of the three characters seems to change more? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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