View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why did Jack work tirelessly on the farm?

2. How is the meal prepared at the destination of Hannah and her children?

3. As Chapter 3 begins, who does Jack think of?

4. Which of the following statements best describes the mules?

5. What ended up drawing Ruth and Jack closer to one another?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was Jack's family's participation in the Civil War, and how did they feel about the issues surrounding it?

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

3. How does Mat feel about Lightning and Smoothbore Berlew?

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

5. What is Jack's relationship with Nancy?

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

7. How does Jack feel about his memories?

8. What happened to Jack's horses and wagon during the storm that occured while he was in town trying to buy flour?

9. How does Ruth feel about Jack?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 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

Human beings all leave a legacy when they die, whether it is bad or good. Write an essay that describes the legacy Jack left. To whom was his legacy? Was it a lasting legacy? Was it a worthwhile legacy?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 799 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample