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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 was curly maple so prized for gun-stocks?

2. What does Cornish McManus make out of rough-sawn "blanks"?

3. Who repairs the fuel pump on Tim Harrow's mobile home?

4. How much does Tim Harrow tell Harv Kline the "sweet" rifle is worth?

5. What material does Cornish McManus use to brown the exterior surface of a barrel?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe how life in the American army forces is presented in the novel.

2. When John Byam uses the rifle to kill British officers, who is doing the killing--Byam or the rifle?

3. 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?

4. Describe the initial organization of McRary's Rangers.

5. Describe how the British are presented in the novel.

6. Why does Cornish McManus decide to sell the "sweet" rifle, one of his most-cherished possessions?

7. In order to fire properly, the following things must be true: "the powder is dry and in good shape" (p. 16); "the flint is clean and with a new sharp edge" (p. 16); "the frizzen is wiped dry" (p. 16); "the spring on the hammer is strong" (p. 16); "the flint [slams] hard against the frizzen" (p. 16); "the powder is positioned correctly in the pan" (p. 17). Explain how all of these things happen to occur on Christmas Eve, 1993.

8. What does John Byam use the "sweet" rifle for?

9. Is the "sweet" rifle evil?

10. The last time he loaded his rifle, John Byam used an extraordinary amount of care during the process. Do you think he always was so careful when loading?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does the novel spend so much time characterizing Richard Allen Mesinger? After all, his interaction with the rifle lasts less than one second and the narrative makes it clear that Mesinger never even knew he was being killed. Within the narrative, what difference does it make that Mesinger was who he was?

Essay Topic 2

The novel argues that during the Colonial period rifles were needed tools but that in today's society they are no longer useful. Discuss this contrast.

Essay Topic 3

Describe the process of loading a muzzle-loading rifle. Describe why John Byam loaded the rifle the way that he did.

(see the answer keys)

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