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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 the indications of the thunderclouds foreshadow?

2. What does she decide about Joanna and Chandler?

3. What do the two woman hear as they ease off the ledge?

4. Whose voice do they hear?

5. What is wrong with Cowboy Dashee?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. In Chapter 18, the Arizona death penalty is again mentioned as a reason to make a murder look accidental; does this seem like something a criminal would really be thinking?

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

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

5. In Chapter 21, why do you think Chee is alarmed that none of the tracks comes back out of the canyon?

6. Do you think the scene of Bernie finding the diamonds and arm is anti-climatic and why?

7. After Joanna passes Chandler's hiding place, he calmly confronts her--why do you think she is so careless after having spotted Chandler on the canyon floor earlier?

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

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

10. When the old Hopi woman warns Bernie that she shouldn't be there, the woman then warms up to her; why do you think this is?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

In Chapter 6, Bernie reflects upon when Chee adopts a cat that had been abandoned in the wilds. This story seems to serve two purposes. Answer the following questions by writing a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. Name the two purposes this story showing how the story serves to fulfill the purposes. How effective is the story in fulfilling its purposes?

2. How does this story make you feel about Jim Chee? Explain fully.

3. How many white people would have done the same with the cat as Jim does? Do you think Hillerman is a bit harsh in implying that whites in general are not as sensitive towards the animal kingdom as Native Americans?

Essay Topic 3

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.

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