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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 Palmer give Beans for his birthday?

2. What does Palmer feed the pigeon?

3. When Palmer asks his mother why the boy wrung the pigeon's neck, what does she say?

4. Where did Arthur put the body of the first ever pigeon whose neck he had rung?

5. What does Palmer believe he will receive from lasting out his time with Farquar?

Short Essay Questions

1. Palmer begins to identify a certain smell associated with the pigeon shoot. Describe the smell and how it injects itself into Palmer's life.

2. Palmer asks his mother for a favor. What is the favor, and why does Palmer ask her? How does he explain this to his mother?

3. What are some of Palmer's memories of his first pigeon shoot? What does this tell us about Palmer?

4. How does Palmer come up with the name for his pigeon? What do people feel about animals when they name them? How does Palmer feel about his pigeon?

5. How does Palmer resolve his problems of meeting his friends at the cannon on the day of the pigeon shoot? Why? What do we learn about Palmer?

6. In Chapter 15, Palmer goes through a series of emotional reactions to the pigeon tapping on his window. What are some of those reactions?

7. Who does Palmer find in his room the night before the pigeon shoot? Why? What do we learn about Palmer?

8. Palmer comes home after the boys see a pigeon flying overhead and he cries. Why is he crying? What does he admit about his day?

9. For his birthday, Palmer gets an old apple core, an old sock, and a cigar butt from his new friends. What makes these gifts special? How does Palmer react to his mother's gifts?

10. In Chapter Seven, how does Dorothy treat Palmer when he comes to show her his arm? How does he react?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Dorothy is a main character running throughout the book. Discuss Palmer's different feelings about and reactions toward Dorothy and how they change throughout the story. How does he ultimately feel about their friendship?

Essay Topic 2

There are two traditions in Palmer's town that frighten him, and yet he is drawn toward them both. What are these traditions? Why do they both frighten and interest Palmer? How are these two traditions similar?

Essay Topic 3

When Dorothy says to Palmer "why are you doing this to me?" what does she mean? Why does she say this to Palmer? How does Palmer feel about what Dorothy says and about his behavior?

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