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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 is the last thing Boon says to Ike before Ike leaves him alone in the woods?

2. When Ike hears that the woods have been sold, what does he have the urge to do one last time before he moves away?

3. Which of the following characters has a premonition about Sam's death, which he finds deeply disturbing?

4. After a boy kills his first deer in the woods, what does the boy traditionally do with that deer's blood?

5. Which of the following characters saves Lion from being scooped up by Old Ben?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Ash?

2. What type of relationship do Boon and Ike have?

3. Who is Fonsiba, and why does Ike feel the need to track her down?

4. How does the convict spend his time during the week he lives with the Cajun man?

5. How does Ike live his life after he decides not to accept his inherited land?

6. How does the Cajun man hunt alligators?

7. What happens when Ike runs into Boon one last time in the woods?

8. What is the reaction from the government when the tall convict turns himself in?

9. What crime does Ike accuse his grandfather or committing, and what proof does he have of this crime?

10. How old is the young boy at the opening of the story, "The Bear", and what is he waiting to do?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the story "Spotted Horses", the escaped wild horses run rampant in the town, creating much damage for the already struggling Mississippi families. First, explain how the horses managed to escape from their pens and then list the damages created by their stampede. Which family do you think came out with the worst damages after the stampede? How can you tell? Finally, explain how the damaged family managed to right their lives again (if they did) and what effect the horse stampede had on this family's relationship with the town.

Essay Topic 2

Throughout the novel, "The Old Man", Faulkner continues to hint at what he believes to be the dehumanization of men in prison. Choose two examples from the text that you believe best exemplify the dehumanization of prisoners. How does Faulkner use the examples of the two convicts as a way to explore this dehumanization? Finally, do you think Faulkner's message of dehumanization could effect change in current prisons today? Why or why not? Be sure to include at least two examples from the text that you believe help to strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 3

In both of the stories, "The Old Man" and "Spotted Horses", the stories explore the role the law plays in the common folks' lives. First, explain what role the law (police) plays in the lives of the characters in "Spotted Horses" and compare / contrast that to the role the law plays in the story "The Old Man". Then, choose one character whose life you think was bettered by the intrusion of the law in their problems and compare / contrast that to one character whose life you think was ruined by the law interfering with their problems. At the end of the day, what message do you think Faulkner is trying to send his readers about the intrusion of the law in our everyday lives?

(see the answer keys)

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