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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. Who does the person following Penn believe was responsible for the murder of Payton?

2. What happened to Tom when he was the defendant in a malpractice suit years earlier?

3. Who is Payton's mother?

4. How is Leo Marston characterized when he is introduced into the novel?

5. How much money does Penn buy the Payton file for?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Pinder tell Penn that he's going to pretend to have never met Penn?

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

3. Why is Penn confused by the comments made by the woman who threw the drink in Penn's face at the fundraising party?

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

5. According to Sam Jacobs, what two things drive the Marston family?

6. Why did Presley return the gun he borrowed from Tom?

7. Why does Shad Johnson want Penn to leave the Payton case alone?

8. Although Penn has no proof, what does he suspect about his father's involvement in his wife's final hours?

9. When Penn calls home to tell his parents that he is moving back to his hometown, he senses something is wrong. Why does Penn not press his mother for details?

10. After hearing Presley's response about why Presley only returned one gun, not two, what does Tom believe?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Throughout the story, there are several attempts made on Penn Craig's life.

a. Identify three characters or groups who try to kill Penn. Describe the situation and how Penn escapes.

b. Compare and contrast the characters that try to kill Penn, as well as these characters' motivations.

Essay Topic 2

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.

Essay Topic 3

Several times in the story, Penn seeks out the help of other people in order to move forward in both his investigation into the Payton murder and in his personal life.

a. Identify at least three times in the story in which Penn reaches out for help.

b. Compare and contrast each of these events in terms of the situation Penn is trying to understand, the effect of his asking for help, and the situation that immediately follows this time.

c. How might Penn's actions have impacted the story's plot if he hadn't reached out for help from others?

(see the answer keys)

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