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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. At the very start of the novel, to what is Jack listening?

2. Where does Hannah take her children?

3. What is the reason for Mat's feelings toward Lightning Berlew?

4. What were Jack's thoughts about Ben the first time that he met him?

5. In Jack's memory of the mules, how old is Mat?

Short Essay Questions

1. What part of Jack's memory at the beginning of the novel involves Mat?

2. What is Jack's relationship with Hannah Coultner like?

3. What is a horse breaker and what is Jack's experience with it?

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

5. How does Ruth feel about Jack?

6. How does Jack feel about his memories?

7. What happens when Jack is brought out of his memories and into the present?

8. After the dinner at the Feltner's house, what is the memory that Jack has about?

9. As the book opens, what does Jack remember about mules as he stands on the porch listening to Mat call the cows?

10. What does Jack remember about being twenty-eight years old and being in charge of his family farm?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Mat tells Mattie the rabbit hunter story, the moral of the story is that people should be content with what they have in life and not strive to acquire more. Is that moral the moral of Jack's life? Was Jack truly content with what he had? Did Jack escape the temptation to strive for more in all areas of his life? Was Jack's contentment with life always a good thing in all aspects of his life? Write an essay that analyzes Mat's impression of Jack's contentment with life.

Essay Topic 2

The novel seems to use both exposition and flashbacks in the characters' memories to provide information about the past. Explain the difference between exposition and flashback and provide two examples of each literary element. Then explain whether or not you think this method of providing the reader with information about the past is effective.

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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