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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. How often does Gifford return to the store to question Huffaker about Ownby?

2. What does Ownby want to bring with him when he is arrested?

3. What animals is the wildcat prowling for at the beginning of this section?

4. What is Sylder's destination as he drives tonight?

5. What type of animal has been asleep in Ownby's outhouse?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Gifford put pressure on John Wesley to give up information about Sylder?

2. How is Sylder finally apprehended for bootlegging?

3. Does it appear that Arthur is completely anti-social?

4. Why is Sylder's toe injury probably unrelated to a war injury?

5. How does Sylder recall losing part of his toe in the war?

6. What sense of foreboding does Sylder have as he tries to fall asleep?

7. What are John Wesley and Warn's speculation on what had happened to the mink?

8. How is the dead cat symbolic of Kenneth Rattner?

9. In addition to his traps, what does Warn point out to the other boys?

10. How does Arthur stand firm in an attempt to evade the police and find an even more isolated location?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author uses more than one iteration on the theme of resistance to government intervention. Identify at least two examples about resistance to government intervention in the book. Then explain how each example supports the theme of resistance to government intervention.

Essay Topic 2

McCarthy uses more than one instance of irony in the story. Cite at least two other examples you can identify in the story and note why they are examples of irony. What is the major irony in the story? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Describe Gifford. What is his role in the story? What was the author trying to accomplish by creating Gifford's character in the novel?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,108 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample