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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 does Newby give Jimmie when Gilda arrives?

2. In the years following his initiation, what does Jimmie question?

3. What does Jimmy know after seeing the baby?

4. What kinds of blacks does the constable like?

5. After Jimmie leaves home, who does he meet?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why might Jimmie have decided to drop the issue rather than argue with Healy about the quality of the fence?

2. Why is Gilda glad that she will be able to give birth in the main house?

3. Why does Jimmie leave home after only staying there for two days?

4. What are we told happened in 1891?

5. Why is Mr. Newby angry at Jimmie and what does he do about it?

6. What does Miss Graf do to help Gilda and how does Gilda react?

7. Who do the Nevilles suggest Jimmie should attempt to marry, and why?

8. In Jimmie's case, what does it mean to be a "half-breed?"

9. Why is Farrell satisfied with Jimmie?

10. How was Jimmie punished for Healy's dissatisfaction with the fence?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the depiction of the white characters in the novel. Were they all racist towards Aborigines? Why did the author choose to depict them the way he did?

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast the value system of the white population to that of Jimmie's tribe. In what way do these differences affect Jimmie?

Essay Topic 3

The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith is based on the life of Jimmy Governor, an Aborigine, who, along with his brother, committed a number of murders in Australia in 1900. Research the life of Jimmy Governor. Compare and contrast the true story to the fictional retelling of the story in The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith.

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