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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. Why does Wanda Jo put up with Jack's poor treatment of her?

2. Who is the young woman Jack meets while on his trip?

3. What does Jack's mother do to him after his father's death?

4. What did Jack's father not see until it was too late?

5. What rumor about Jack spreads quickly in town when Jack returns from his trip?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the purpose of Jack's trip to Tulsa?

2. How does the sheriff treat Jack when he finds him?

3. Describe Jack's high school years.

4. What does Ralph Bird do when he spots Jack back in Holt?

5. What did Jack's room at the boarding house become for his friends?

6. Compare and contrast Pat and Jack's perspectives on the college experience.

7. What is revealed about Jack's parentage when the author uses a flashback in Chapter 2?

8. What negative behavior characteristics does Jack show through his actions?

9. What does Jack's marriage to Jessie indicate to Wanda Jo?

10. What information does the author reveal about Jack Burdette at the beginning of the novel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe grain elevator. What is its role in the community? Is it typical of businesses in small towns in rural America?

Essay Topic 2

"Where You Once Belonged" is a classic story of betrayal. What does that classification entail? Why does this novel fit into this category? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Haruf is a master at dramatic devices. Choose an example of symbolism, metaphors, and irony, briefly describe them and identify the technique which they embody.

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