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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 to John Byam's "sweet" rifle after he dies?
2. In the rifle that Cornish McManus builds, what strikes a steel surface to fire the gun?
3. What color is the barrel for Cornish McManus' "sweet" rifle when he is completely finished with it?
4. Why was curly maple so prized for gun-stocks?
5. British forces hang a farmer named Bainbridge because they find what hidden on his property?
Short Essay Questions
1. The novel spends many pages describing the construction of the rifle. Do you have a clear mental image of the processes involved in hand-making a muzzle-loading rifle?
2. The cover image of several common editions of the book shows a left-handed flintlock rifle. Does the book describe the rifle as being left-handed?
3. Does the "sweet" rifle have a will of its own?
4. What does John Byam use the "sweet" rifle for?
5. Why do the British hang Cornish McManus?
6. Describe the initial organization of McRary's Rangers.
7. Is the "sweet" rifle evil?
8. Most gunsmiths would test their barrels early in the manufacturing process, to avoid wasting time finishing faulty barrels. Cornish McManus does not test his barrel until the entire gun is finished. Why?
9. Do you think that John Byam "got his money's worth" out of the "sweet" rifle?
10. In reading the novel, do you think of the "sweet" Rifle as a character or as an object?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
The novel portrays the British during the American Revolutionary War as violent and foolhardy. Do you agree with this portrayal? Discuss why enemy troops always are vituperated in the media.
Essay Topic 2
Discuss the role of the characterization of Tim Harrow in the novel. Why is Tim even characterized? Why is he characterized as a fringe "crazy"? What role does the character play in the novel?
Essay Topic 3
In the novel, is the "sweet" rifle a character or an object? Defend your selection.
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This section contains 594 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) |
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