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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 happened to Harv Kline after Richard Allen Mesinger's death?
2. How does Richard Allen Mesinger die?
3. When does Richard Allen Mesinger die?
4. How long does Sissy live?
5. Academically, how does Richard Allen Mesington perform?
Short Essay Questions
1. Who is the most sympathetic character in the novel, and why?
2. Describe the early life of Richard Allen Mesinger .
3. What happens when the rifle accidentally discharges above Harv Kline's fireplace?
4. Do you think that Harv Kline feels he got a fair exchange with Tim Harrow?
5. The novel openly mocks Tim Harrow's personal philosophy that draws from firearms and American history, the United States Constitution, and Christianity. Do you think that these sources of information are suitable for mockery?
6. Was the "sweet" rifle fundamentally different from other rifles of the period?
7. How is Harv Kline characterized in the novel?
8. What does Richard Allen Mesinger think about his neighbor Harv Kline's antique gun?
9. Tim Harrow is characterized as a fringe "crazy" person; the narrative openly mocks him. What actions does he perform in the novel that would make you shun him in the real world?
10. How does the rifle fire after 217 years?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Why does the novel "need" to have the accidental discharge come from an old muzzle-loading, black powder rifle? Wouldn't the novel work just as well with an AK-47 hanging above Kline's mantel? Why or why not?
Essay Topic 2
When rifle kills British officers, who is doing the killing--Byam or the rifle? When the rifle kills Richard David Mesinger, who is doing the killing--Harv Kline or the rifle? Why are the two situations different? Compare and contrast.
Essay Topic 3
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.
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This section contains 672 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) |
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