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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 happens as Penn is on his way home from the meeting with the man who warned Penn that his family might be in danger?

2. What is the name of the waitress that interrupts Penn's interview?

3. When Penn suggests to his father that they need to talk, where do the two men go?

4. When Tom was the defendant in a malpractice suit years earlier, who was the prosecuting attorney?

5. What company is considering Natchez for its new plant location?

Short Essay Questions

1. According to Penn's mother, why had she been upset earlier on the phone?

2. When Penn first confronts his father about what's bothering his father, how does Tom react?

3. When the two women leave Tom's house, what has Penn decided to do for them?

4. When Penn first confronts his father about what's bothering his father, what does Penn think is going on?

5. After Hanratty is convicted, what does Hanratty's brother do?

6. When Penn's mother confesses why she has been upset, why is Penn stunned by her news?

7. When Tom questioned Presley about why he only returned one gun, not two, what did Presley say?

8. When Penn first meets with the person he agrees to be interviewed by, why is Penn stunned?

9. Why does Penn decide to move back to his hometown?

10. While Tom and Penn are fighting about the newspaper article, two women appear on Tom's doorstep. Why are the women there?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

John Portman, Director of the FBI, uses many different tactics to rule his subordinates and try to keep people in line, including Penn Cage.

a. Identify three tactics used by Portman to keep people in line.

b. For each tactic identified, explain why Portman uses this method of control.

c. Compare and contrast these tactics in terms of their operational style, level of involvement, and operational success or failure.

Essay Topic 2

Ilse uses this story to examine the role that truth plays in our daily lives. Examine the author's beliefs through his storytelling. Why would the author choose this story to overlay his demonstration of the consequences realized when the truth is distorted or hidden? What did you learn from the author's discussion on truth? What other avenues, if any, could the author have used to express his beliefs? Would those avenues have been as effective as the story? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

One of the main themes is this novel is revenge.

a. Identify three characters that use revenge as their primary motivation. For each character, describe an instance in which the character acted out of a need for revenge.

b. Why do these characters seek revenge?

c. What is the outcome for these characters? Were they successful in their endeavors, or would they have been more successful if they had not gone after revenge? Explain your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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