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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 Ernt hunted for dinner on Leni's first day of school in Chapter 5?

2. What are the names of the eagles that Matthew takes Leni to see in Chapter 7?

3. Where does Large Marge say she is from in Chapter 11?

4. What is Calhoun's last name?

5. Whose death in The Outsiders turned Leni inside out?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do the Allbrights reach their destination in Chapters 3 and 4?

2. Who are the Harlans and what connection do they have to the Allbrights?

3. How is Leni's school described in Chapter 5? Who are her classmates?

4. How does Tom win over most of the Harlan clan regarding the saloon?

5. How does Leni characterize her parents' relationship in Part 1 of the novel?

6. How has Leni changed in the beginning of Part 2?

7. In what ways are Matthew's behaviors following his mother's death similar to Ernt's? How are they different?

8. What causes Geneva's death? What impact does her death have on the community?

9. What causes Ernt's hostility toward Tom in Chapters 5 and 6?

10. Who is Large Marge? What impressions are imparted on the reader regarding her character when she is first introduced?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the theme of family in The Great Alone. How would you compare the families of Leni and Matthew? What are the eccentricities of these families that are demonstrated in the novel? What statement do you think the author is making regarding family? Why?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the theme/motif of literature in The Great Alone. What are some of the literary references and/or allusions made by the author in the text? How do these literary works connect to this novel thematically? How do these references help to develop the characters in the story?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and analyze the characters of Matthew and Tom Walker in The Great Alone. What characteristics stand out in Tom and his son? What do the actions of these characters indicate regarding their motivations? How do the characters evolve?

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