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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 object talks for Mrs. Graves when she gets mad?

2. Why are Jim and Joe banned from teaching on Yamacraw Island?

3. Who gets injured during the Halloween festivities?

4. Cindy Lou protests what about Halloween?

5. Which popular singer do the students in Yamacraw love?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Pat Conroy spend his days after school?

2. For what purpose does Pat Conroy attempt to give the students a classical music education?

3. How does Ted Stone feel about killing men while at war?

4. Why are the children of Yamacraw interested in the movie about the Salem Witch Trials?

5. How did Thomas anger the whites when he was young?

6. What revelation helps Pat Conroy realize the Stones are frighteningly racist?

7. Why does Pat Conroy express surprise upon learning that children of Yamacraw never celebrate Halloween?

8. According to Piedmont, how has Jesus changed him?

9. Why did Pat Conroy enjoy swearing as a teen?

10. What type of things have the students at Yamacraw school not been taught?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the relationships between whites and blacks during the time period of "The Water is Wide."

1) What time period is it and what is happening politically in the United States?

2) How do whites feel about blacks?

3) How do blacks feel about whites?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay examining the idea of violence as a part of the culture on Yamacraw Island.

1) Why are the people violent?

2) Who are they violent towards?

3) How does this violence add to their oppression?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay supporting or refuting the following statement, citing examples from the text: When Pat Conroy tries to keep the peace with Mrs. Brown at the school, he is doing the children a disservice.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 620 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample