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. How does Phil feel when he imagines George caressing Rose?

2. What year does the important cattle drive at the beginning of the story take place?

3. How do both George and Rose change, regarding supper?

4. What is the nickname for the train on which the men plan to load the steers?

5. Who are Johnny’s patients?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Phil get Rose's goat regarding music?

2. What bothers George about Phil?

3. How does the narrator describe the town of Beech in Chapter I?

4. Why does Phil feel let down by their twenty-fifth cattle drive?

5. How is George kind to Rose in Chapters IV and V?

6. How does Rose feel about how she is treated at the grocery store in Herndon after marrying George?

7. How does Rose react when Peter asks if she is happy?

8. How are Phil and George different from those around them?

9. What does the narrator say about Phil's eyes in Chapter IV?

10. What makes both George and Rose reluctant to come home to the ranch?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

From the very beginning of the story Phil notices a change in George. How does George change throughout the course of the story? What leads to these changes? How do these changes affect his relationship with his brother? Are these changes beneficial for George and/or others? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Although George is not considered a smart man, what abilities of his seem to shine throughout this story, beginning with early descriptions of him as well as his relationship with Rose beginning in Chapter V? What does this say about intelligence? What does the reader learn about various types of intelligence throughout this story? In what ways is intelligence important and in what ways can in be a hinderance?

Essay Topic 3

Phil's death is sudden, but the question is, is it surprising? Had you predicted Phil's death at the hands of Peter? Why or why not? Are there certain aspects of his death that are shocking or surprising? Why or why not? Why might the author have chosen to remove Phil from the picture by having him murdered rather than in another way? How does this choice to murder him affect the story as a whole?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 950 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample