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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. When was Richard Allen Mesington born?

2. Who tells Peggy that Richard Allen Mesington has a crush on her?

3. According to the novel, what is the muzzle velocity of a black powder rifle's projectile?

4. In the novel, how many people actually fire the "sweet" rifle?

5. What does the Mesinger family do in the early evening of Christmas Eve, 1993?

Short Essay Questions

1. Throughout the 217 year history of the "sweet" rifle, what is it functionally used for?

2. What happens to the adults that survive the accidental death of Richard Allen Mesinger?

3. Sarah steals the rifle from John Byam as he dies; does Tilson steal the rifle from Harv Kline?

4. Why don't the Mesinger and the Kline children play together?

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. 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?

7. How is Harv Kline characterized in the novel?

8. Is the "sweet" rifle a work of art?

9. Was the "sweet" rifle fundamentally different from other rifles of the period?

10. What happens when the rifle accidentally discharges above Harv Kline's fireplace?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Is the book a novel or a political screed? Defend your selection.

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

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?

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This section contains 640 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample