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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. Why does the Old Lady believe that she and the Old Gent should be present at George’s wedding?

2. Of whom does Phil frequently tell tales?

3. Chapter V begins when George finds Rose crying. How does he respond?

4. How is the Old Lady pleased by Rose?

5. How is Rose treated at the grocery store in Herndon after marrying George?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What is known about the Burbank ranch in the first section (Chapters I-III)?

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

4. What is significant about the cattle drive in the first section (Chapters I-III)?

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

6. Why is Beech unable to grow and develop?

7. What bothers George about Phil?

8. How does George act in a way that surprises Phil, at the end of Chapter VI?

9. How does George save Rose's day?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

The government gate is a barrier that both Phil and Edward Nappo dislike. Why? Why might this gate be here? What might it represent in this story?

Essay Topic 3

The haves versus the have-nots is an important idea in The Power of the Dog. How does this disparity in assets affect the relationships between the characters? How are they all - the wealthy, the middle class, and the poor - never truly happy? Why? What is missing from all of their lives?

(see the answer keys)

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