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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. How is Old Rawhide dressed when Norman and Paul drop her off in town?

2. What does Norman do after he takes Paul and his girlfriend back to Paul's house?

3. Who has asked Norman to help his brother-in-law?

4. Why does Norman think that Paul stays close to him while fishing?

5. Other than fish, what else did the brothers do?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Norman's mother-in-law enlist Norman's help on Neal's behalf?

2. Who goes on the fishing trip the next morning?

3. Where do Norman and Paul escape from Norman's family problems a few days later?

4. What is Norman's reaction to the phone call?

5. What do Norman and Paul find when they return to the spot where they left the car?

6. What do Norman's wife and mother-in-law finally realize about Neal?

7. On what is the story based?

8. What do Norman and Paul receive in the form of sermons from their father?

9. Which of the two brothers is the better fisherman?

10. Where do the two brothers go fishing?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the irony in the situation of the cook losing all his money after he has cheated to win it in the poker game. All through the story the cook has been rude and disdainful to Norman, yet it is Norman who finds the cook beaten and broken in an alley and gives him all the money he has. What does it say about Norman's character that he can rise above the difficulties he has experienced with the cook and act like a good human being? Would the cook have done the same for Norman? Explain your position.

Essay Topic 2

Maclean's stories in this collection are based on real-life characters whom Norman feels are larger than life, certainly larger than himself. What character traits does Norman have that the other characters do not? Why is he just as important to the stories as the other characters he seems to admire?

Essay Topic 3

Do you feel that Norman is drawn to Bill Bell because Bill is a father symbol to Norman? Norman is seventeen years old and has his own father with whom he has a good relationship so why is Bill's opinion of him so important to Norman? Is Norman's age and inexperience a factor in Norman's feelings? Does he still need the approval of an older male figure, regardless of the circumstances? Explain your opinions.

(see the answer keys)

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