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. At whom is Chee staring?

2. What does the old shaman who lives on the side of the canyon claim?

3. Who abandons Joanna?

4. What is Cowboy Dashee trying to do?

5. What does Bernie say that allays the old woman's fears?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do you think Chandler gives Joanne back the arm bone of her father?

2. Why do you think Cowboy Dashee is part of this story since it seems he did not contribute much in previous chapters and he is now out of the story because of his ankle?

3. Do you see any difference between Chandler and Joanna at this point; after all, she agrees to a "partnership" with him?

4. How is Bernie's assurance about Chandler highly ironic in the scheme of the history of Native Americans?

5. What seems surprising in this story at this point in the book?

6. What might be the implications of Bernie and Chee's relationship from the way they are interacting at the end of Chapter 28?

7. What could be a more sinister reason for Chandler giving Joanne back the arm bone of her father?

8. What seems incongruous about Bernie avoiding looking at the shaman?

9. What do you think is the purpose in Chapter 15 of the narrator reiterating many facts already known to the reader?

10. How does Chandler unconsciously give away his intentions in the scene where he and Joanna discover the snuff cans?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In Chapter 2, Joe reflects on his boredom since retirement, upon the idea of mortality, and at having lost some many friends to that mortality. Choose one of the following and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. What do you think are the causes of Joe's boredom? Do you think he is so one-sided that he cannot find other things that interest him besides police work? Do you think that is psychologically healthy? Do you know of anyone who after retiring seems to mope around and is bored? Explain their situation. What would you say to them? Would you say the same to Joe?

2. The old Shaman man seems to never have retired from his "job" as Shaman--not until he dies. The Shaman is what is job is--in other words, if you ask him who he is, he might reply "I am the Shaman for the tribe." If you ask him what he does, he would probably say the same thing. Western culture tends to separate who one is with what one does; whereas, aboriginal cultures blur the boundaries more. Compare and contrast the two ways of identification. State possible advantages and disadvantages of both ways.

3. It is an oft-recorded phenomenon that some men (and occasionally women) will retire and then die fairly soon thereafter, even if they are healthy when they retire. Discuss this idea fully giving your thoughts about it as well as researching the idea and presenting what experts say.

Essay Topic 2

In Chapter 9, Chee is reflecting on his past, particularly upon his past romantic relationships. A story he things about concerns "Cat," a domesticated cat. The story about Cat might be considered an allegory. Answer the following questions by writing a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. What is an allegory? What is the purpose of the Cat allegory?

2. Why do you think an author might use an allegory to express a concept or idea? Do you think the Cat allegory is effective?

3. Are there any other allegories in the novel? What about the story Sam Pinto tells in Chapter 1? Could this be an allegory about how the white man has ruined the environment?

Essay Topic 3

Chapter 13 gives the readers an astonishing view of Joanna Craig when she shoots Sherman in cold blood. Answer the following questions by writing a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. Does Joanna's action of shooting Sherman come as a surprise? Why or why not? Do you think the action is justified? Do you think she can be held legally responsible?

2. What would you have done in Joanna's place? The same thing? Something different? Do you think Joanna intended to kill Sherman?

3. Sherman recovers from his gunshot wound and is unwilling to say who shoots him. Why do you think he does this? Is it merely chauvinism as Joe suggests? Since Sherman refuses to point the finger at Joanne, she gets off scot free. Is this fair? Are you glad or outraged? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,507 words (approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample