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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. Where does Bernard’s family live?

2. Why does Bernard bring the drum to the hospital?

3. Who did Seraphine grow up with?

4. Why does Shawnee hit Apitchi?

5. What was Bernard doing when Shawnee arrived at his house?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Shawnee feel about Honey?

2. Why is Shawnee angry at her mother?

3. Why is Ira worried when she talks to Seraphine?

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

5. What is Ira’s attitude towards herself?

6. Why does Morris fall in love with Ira?

7. What is John’s attitude towards Ira?

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

9. What happened to Bernard’s family?

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

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

In the author’s note, Erdrich notes that “As in all of my books, no sacred knowledge is revealed” (277). Why do you think she chose to keep some of these traditional practices hidden? What role does sacred knowledge play in the story?

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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