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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. Where did Ed say he lived most of the year in Chapter 7: “The Only Girl in the Woods”?

2. What nickname did Frank give to Cheryl as they sat in his truck in Chapter 5: “Tracks”?

3. What establishment did Cheryl spend the night at in Mojave in Chapter 2: “Splitting”?

4. For whom did Cheryl call out when the animal she encountered in the woods fled away in Chapter 9: “Staying Found”?

5. What was author Cheryl Strayed's birth name?

Short Essay Questions

1. What memories of Cheryl's divorce are shared with the reader in Chapter 6: “A Bull in Both Directions”?

2. What map does Cheryl describe in the beginning of Chapter 2: “Splitting”?

3. Who does Cheryl encounter when she arrives at Kennedy Meadows in Chapter 7: “The Only Girl in the Woods”?

4. How does the author describe her position as a woman on the trail in Chapter 7: “The Only Girl in the Woods”?

5. What is revealed of Cheryl's past in the flashback to the Mayo Clinic in Chapter 1: “The Ten Thousand Things”?

6. How would you describe Cheryl's mindset as she returns to the PCT in Chapter 9: “Staying Found”?

7. How long does it take Cheryl to reach Golden Oak Springs? How much time does she spend there in Chapter 5: “Tracks”?

8. What encounters with animals does Cheryl describe along her journey in Chapter 5: “Tracks”? What realizations do these encounters lead her to?

9. What memories of Cheryl's marriage are shared with the reader in Chapter 2: “Splitting”?

10. How does Cheryl's encounter with Greg influence her mindset on the trail in Chapter 6: “A Bull in Both Directions”?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Cheryl’s encounters with Greg, Albert, and Matt in the narrative. Although Cheryl had previously encountered people, these were the first of the PCT hikers she had met on her journey. How did Cheryl relate to these people? How did her interactions with them help her to build confidence?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the genres of memoir and Bildungsroman. How does the term “Bildungsroman” relate to the narrative of Wild? How do literary devices such as theme, plot structure, imagery, metaphor, and symbolism apply to this genre? How do memoirs vary in terms of how they are related and how they are structured?

Essay Topic 3

Examine the theme of intimacy in the narrative. Cheryl discusses her propensity toward adultery that occurred following her mother’s death. In what ways does Cheryl’s desire for sex relate to her desire for human connection? How does Cheryl change in this regard over the course of the story?

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