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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 Rick see by a Humvee?

2. Why can't Sky live in the wild?

3. What does Rick relate about his dream to the story he is reading?

4. After what does Rick believe Nuke's pit bull has been named?

5. What does Rick see Lon doing?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Nuke opposing Lon?

2. What does Rick think about as he is riding in a camper in which he hid?

3. What does Lon do when he and Rick return to the camp?

4. What does Rick's social worker tell the judge about Rick's life, and about how well the social worker knows Rick?

5. What does Rick find in Lon's tent?

6. What does the man do when Rick gets into the passenger side of the man's truck?

7. What does Rick see as he looks around the camp and what does he consider stealing?

8. What does Rick find out about the restrained eagle and other animals?

9. What does Lon tell Rick his job will be while Lon is hang gliding? Who is going hang gliding with Rick?

10. Why is Lon concerned about M,4 and what does he do about it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Over the course of "The Maze", Rick grows as a person in both complexity and understanding. "The Maze" might be considered a slice of Rick's larger story of his "coming of age." It might be said that "The Maze" is a "bildungsroman" of Rick Fisher. Discuss the following:

1. Define Bildungsroman, or "Coming of Age," and give several examples from literature you have read.

2. Trace and analyze the character of Rick as he changes from a more carefree, innocent boy to a wiser, young man. What are the significant events that change Rick?

3. After thoroughly analyzing Rick's growth throughout the story, do you think "The Maze" could be considered Rick's Coming of Age story? Why or why not?

4. Are there any other characters in the novel who go through a Coming of Age experience? Who? Why do you think so?

Essay Topic 2

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think Eaters of the Dead is? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 3

Rick matures and grows throughout the book.

1. What do you think might be some of the reasons Rick is maturing? Use examples from the book to support your answer.

2. Do you think Rick's maturity shown in the book is unrealistic in the short amount of time period the book covers? Why or why not?

3. Discuss the ways that Rick shows changes in his maturity in the book.

(see the answer keys)

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