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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. In his court testimony in Chapter 3, Rooster Cogburn states that who was killed?

2. What is the name of the hangman in Chapter 2?

3. What is described as the highest point in Arkansas in Chapter 1?

4. Mattie says in Chapter 2, “I noticed that the houses in Fort Smith were numbered but it was no city at all compared to” where?

5. Which U.S. marshal does the sheriff say in Chapter 2 brings in prisoners alive and “believes even the worst of men is entitled to a fair shake”?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the principle setting of the story? Where does Mattie’s family live?

2. How do Mattie and Yarnell travel to Fort Smith in Chapter 2? How is the journey described?

3. What does Mattie say in regards to the innocence or evil of animals in Chapter 3?

4. How does the sheriff describe L.T. Quinn in Chapter 2?

5. How does Mattie describe the career of Judge Isaac Parker in Chapter 3?

6. What agreement do Mattie Ross and Colonel Stonehill reach regarding their settlement in Chapter 3?

7. Who is the executioner in Chapter 2? How is this character described?

8. How does Colonel Stonehill describe the plight of the U.S. marshal when he hears of Mattie’s story in Chapter 3?

9. How does Mattie describe the setting of the hanging in Chapter 2?

10. What leads to Mattie’s disappointment when she speaks with the deputy marshal at the Federal Courthouse in Chapter 3?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss Rooster Cogburn’s statements on the stand regarding the Wharton trial. Why does Cogburn say he killed the other Whartons? Do you think his actions were justified? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the setting of the Monarch boarding house in the novel. How large is the boarding house? How many boarders are staying there when Mattie arrives? How much does Mattie pay for room and board, and how is her boarding situation detailed?

Essay Topic 3

Define and analyze the narrative style of True Grit. Is the story related in past, present, or future tense? Who is the narrator? Why do you think the narrator chose this point of view? How would the story differ if the narrative style changed?

(see the answer keys)

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