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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 does the Indian wife at the store cook for Mattie, LaBoeuf and Rooster Cogburn for dinner in Chapter 6?

2. Of Mrs. Floyd, Mattie says in Chapter 5 that she “could no more keep her mouth closed than can a” what?

3. How much money does Ranger LaBoeuf say the Governor of Texas has put up for a reward for Tom Chaney in Chapter 5?

4. What does Mattie name the pony that she buys from Colonel Stonehill in Chapter 5?

5. Where does Mattie say her father took her and her brother coon hunting last summer in Chapter 5?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is LaBoeuf’s reply when Mattie asks him why Tom Chaney supposedly shot a Texas senator?

2. What information does LaBoeuf relate to Mattie about Tom Chaney’s history in Chapter 4?

3. What is Rooster Cogburn’s response when he hears of the reward offered for Tom Chaney by the state of Texas?

4. What opinions does Mattie assert regarding prohibition in Chapter 4?

5. How does Mrs. Floyd treat Mattie when she becomes sick in Chapter 4?

6. What does Quincy do when Moon begins to break and tell what he knows in Chapter 6? What ensues?

7. What “grub” has Rooster Cogburn brought along for the trip, according to Mattie in Chapter 6?

8. What is Mattie’s reply when LaBoeuf asks her who she has hired to hunt down Tom Chaney in Chapter 4?

9. What concerns does LaBoeuf voice about the campfire when the group first stops for the night in Chapter 6?

10. What does Rooster do to the boys and mule when Mattie, LaBoeuf, and Rooster arrive at the store in Chapter 6?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Rooster’s failed marriage and his relationship with his son as detailed in the narrative. How did Rooster feel about his son? What does he admit regarding their relationship? Do you think that Rooster’s relationship with Mattie in the story is an attempt to make up for Rooster’s failings with his son?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and analyze the character of Colonel Stonehill in True Grit. Why is Colonel Stonehill reluctant to make a deal with Mattie? How does Mattie effectively press Stonehill in order to obtain her objectives? How does the character of Stonehill change in the course of the narrative?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Mattie Ross’s depiction of Tom Chaney in True Grit. How does Mattie describe Chaney’s appearance? What does she say of his background? What feelings does Mattie express for the man who murdered her father? How does the “reality” of Tom Chaney compare to Mattie’s descriptions of him?

(see the answer keys)

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