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. As Penn and his bodyguard are at the warehouse, shots are fired. Who is one of the men killed?

2. Years earlier, from what had the person trapped inside the house saved Penn?

3. What is the name of the woman who was in the car the night of the Payton murder?

4. Penn stunned to see _______________.at the execution in Huntsville.

5. Where did the person being executed commit a murder while being part of the witness protection program?

Short Essay Questions

1. As Penn peeks in the window of the Marston family home, what does Penn see Leo preparing to do?

2. What announcement does the person Penn sees getting off an airplane in Baton Rouge make that shocks Penn?

3. What advice does Penn's Colorado interviewee give to Penn regarding the Payton case?

4. When Penn receives a phone call from Althea after the Hanratty execution, what does Althea tell Penn?

5. When Annie is returned to Penn, there is also a note for Penn. What does the note say?

6. When Penn arrives at his interview in Colorado, the interviewee does not want to talk. What changes the interviewee's mind?

7. At Ruby's funeral, Shad Johnson gets up to speak. What does Johnson say?

8. What does Penn learn from the eyewitness that Penn tracks down upon his return to Natchez?

9. After Johnson speaks at Ruby's funeral, Althea gets up to speak. What does Althea say?

10. Why does Tom Cage at first not believe that Leo Marston would have been involved in Payton's murder?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

The author uses several different literary techniques as the story is told in regard to the story's flow. Describe the techniques of both flashbacks and foreshadowing. How are each of these techniques used in the story? Give specific examples of each technique. Why might the author have chosen to use both of these techniques in the story? Was the story enhanced by the use of these two techniques? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Leo Marston is a man who is supremely confident. Identify at least three instances from the story that highlight his confidence. How is Marston helped by his utter confidence? How is Marston hurt by his confidence? Provide examples of each.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 783 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample