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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 Hipps' partner in moving the horses to Mississippi?

2. Which of the following families is considered the most dishonest family in Mississippi by the townsfolk?

3. How much money does Henry have to his name at the time he purchases his horse?

4. How much is the gift worth that Snopes gives to Henry's wife?

5. What type of animal does the convict compare the newborn baby to?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when the boat overturns that the tall and fat convicts are paddling down the river?

2. What is Ratcliff's reaction to Hipps' arrival in Mississippi?

3. What are Eck's expectations when he enters the court on the day of his trial?

4. Why does Snopes end up with five dollars in his hand at the end of the auction?

5. How do the Mississippi farmers plan to wrangle the horses after Hipps skips town?

6. How does the tall convict react to the army camp the prisoners are resettled to during the flood?

7. What happens when Mrs. Armsted arrives at Snopes' store to collect the money she is owed from the horse auction?

8. What happens the firs time the convict attempts to turn himself into the police?

9. How many people in the prison know the true crime that the fat convict committed?

10. Toward the end of the trip on the steamboat, how does the Red Cross doctor treat the convict?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the story "The Old Man", the tall convict is faced with the idea of freedom for the first time in eight years during the flood. First, explain the tall convict's reaction to the idea of freedom. How does the convict's relationship to freedom and the outside, "normal" world fuel his actions throughout the story. How do these actions give the reader deeper insight into the tall convict's view of himself and of his crimes? Be sure to include at least two examples from the text that you believe help strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

Many critics argue that "Spotted Horses" is a story written as a critique of the marketing world, claiming that Hipps, essentially, dupes the farmers into buying what they do not need. How might this story be a critique of capitalism in society? Write a short response explaining whether or not you support this argument from the critics. Be sure to give at least two examples from the text that you believe strengthen your argument.

Essay Topic 3

The moral of the story of "The Bear" has much to do with race relations in the South. First, describe the way that Ike learns his family history of race relations in the South. What is his reaction to this personal history? Then, explain how the bear, Old Ben, is used a symbol to represent race relations in the South. Do you think the bear is an appropriate symbol for this theme? Why or why not? As a reader, how does the symbol of the bear give you a better, deeper understanding of race relations in the South? Be sure to include at least two examples from the text that you think help strengthen your arguments.

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