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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. Who is Nancy?

2. Why did Jack get frustrated with Will?

3. What role did Nancy play in Jack's life?

4. As the novel opens, what is Jack's age?

5. When the novel opens, where is Jack standing?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Jack feel about his memories?

2. What happens to Ruth and Jack's marriage after their daughter is born?

3. What are the two different views of Andy's upcoming departure for college?

4. What is Jack's relationship with Nancy?

5. What was Jack like when he was younger?

6. What is Jack's relationship with Ben?

7. What happened when Jack went into the room right after Ruth gave birth to their son?

8. How does Ruth feel about Jack?

9. What happened between Jack and Will that caused Will to leave?

10. What was the relationship like between Jack and Will Wells?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay that analyzes Jack, the protagonist in the novel. First, summarize the basic facts about his life. Second, summarize the primary relationships he had in his life. Third, explain his moral flaws and his moral virtues.

Essay Topic 2

What is the author's point in writing this novel? Clearly, Wendell Berry was trying to get a message to Americans through Jack's story. Write an essay that explains what you think Berry's point is and whether or not he was effective in making the point.

Essay Topic 3

One of Jack's memories is of Will Wells, a black man hired by Jack to help work on Jack's expanded farm. It bothers Jack that Will will always be working to help further Jack's economic status and never for his own farm. This is a result of the times. Black men, though not slaves anymore, did not typically have the means to purchase their own land. Write an essay that addresses race as an issue in the novel.

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