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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. Who is the most upset by the act, and wants to know why the villager is behaving that way?

2. Who mimics the girl's dancing later that night, making Henry Dobbins angry?

3. What personal item did Tim "bury" in the river?

4. What time of day was it when Tim killed the man on the trail?

5. What was Norman Bowker's chief criticism of the first draft of "Speaking of Courage?"

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain who feels blame for Kiowa's death.

2. Contrast the two times Tim was shot.

3. What happens to Tim after he kills the man in the path with a grenade?

4. What is the purpose of the visit to the battlefield where Kiowa was killed?

5. What power do stories have for people dealing with death?

6. What is Norman's assessment of his valor and bravery?

7. Do you agree with Kiowa or Tim's point of view about the kill? Why?

8. How did the men recover Kiowa's body?

9. How does Norman Bowker ultimately cope with returning home?

10. What does Tim invent about the man he killed?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"The Things They Carried: A Work of Fiction" is described as 22 short stories tied into a novel. Select a chapter from the novel and explain how the title relates to the story, and evaluate if the chapter could stand alone as a short story. Identify its weaknesses and strengths and how it fulfills or fails to satisfy the requirements of a story: beginning, middle and end.

Essay Topic 2

We know very little about the character named Azar, but he appears always present to antagonize the other men in the platoon. Explain how Azar is a flat or round character, his role in the novel, and if there are any other characters like him in "The Things They Carried."

Essay Topic 3

Explain the moral you see in the story of Tim getting even with Bobby Jorgenson. How does the story handle the themes of revenge, forgiveness, and personal responsibility against the back drop of a war?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,115 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample