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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 Morris’ Ojibwe name mean?

2. What has Apitichi been diagnosed with?

3. What does Morris receive from the church?

4. Where does Bernard’s family live?

5. Why does Ira suddenly leave Shawnee and Alice’s room?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Ira want to ride with John instead of Morris?

2. Why does Morris fall in love with Ira?

3. Why are Shawnee and her brother fighting?

4. Which of Ira’s possessions survives the fire, and why?

5. How does Shawnee feel about Honey?

6. Why is Shawnee angry at her mother?

7. Why is Bernard suspicious of Ira when she arrives?

8. What is Ira’s attitude towards herself?

9. What causes the fire at Ira’s house?

10. What is John’s attitude towards Ira?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the novel portray intergenerational trauma? To what extent are the characters driven by the experiences of their parents, grandparents, and ancestors?

Essay Topic 2

The novel suggests two possibilities for the death of Old Shaawano’s daughter: she was sacrificed by her mother, or she sacrificed herself to save them. Which story do you think is true? How does your perception of the story change for each possibility?

Essay Topic 3

What do wolves symbolize in the novel? Do they mean different things to different people? What lessons do the wolves offer the reader?

(see the answer keys)

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