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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 do most of the townspeople have in common?

2. What is Jack's main concern when talking to Pat?

3. Who is Doyle Francis?

4. Where do Pat and Jessie decide to take the boys to avoid seeing Jack?

5. What is the result of Charlie's failed suicide attempt?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is revealed about Jack that infuriates the people in Holt?

2. What is the only thing Jessie can think to do in order to repay the townspeople for Jack's crime?

3. What does Doyle Francis discover when he returns to manage the grain elevator in Jack's absence?

4. What purchases does Jack make prior to leaving town for good?

5. What are some of the things Pat does to ingratiate himself with Jessie and her sons?

6. What is Jessie like, and what do the townspeople think of her?

7. What happens to Pat's marriage to Nora after the death of their daughter?

8. Who are Jessie and Jack's children?

9. Why do the townspeople feel cheated of justice, and who do they turn their wrath toward when they cannot take legal action against Charlie Soames?

10. How do Pat and Jessie become romantically involved?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author uses more than one instance of irony in the book. Cite at least two other examples you can identify in the book and note why they are examples of irony.

Essay Topic 2

Do a brief character sketch of Jessie Burdette including positive and negative characteristics. What are her physical characteristics? What are her hopes and dreams? What is important to her at this point in time?

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast Jack Burdette and Pat Arbuckle. As young men, both are trying to carve out new lives but seem to have different methods and goals. How are Jack and Pat alike? How are they different? On what things do they agree? What is the thing that threatens to separate them? What other similarities and dissimilarities are there between the two characters?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 988 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample