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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 does Norman meet Jim Grierson?

2. How does Norman end each day?

3. What happens a few days later?

4. What is gyppoing?

5. Why kind of personality does Jim have?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Jim's behavior at dinner?

2. How does Norman perceive Jim's letters?

3. Who does Norman meet one summer while logging in the woods?

4. What does Norman fear about Jim?

5. What is the content of Jim's final letter to Norman?

6. Why is Norman especially annoyed when Jim has an affair with a local woman?

7. What question does Jim not ask Norman at dinner?

8. Where is the location of the woods where Norman works?

9. How does Norman come to feel about Jim?

10. What does Jim never eat at breakfast?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the irony in Norman's being punished and sent to a mountaintop location with spectacular vistas. Does Bill know that Norman will not be especially industrious on the mountaintop? Is the lesson one in which Norman is supposed to meditate on his mistakes and emerge with a different point of view? By opening up Norman's vistas, is Bill also opening up his mind and attitude?

Essay Topic 2

Why does Norman find Jim Grierson to be such a repugnant character? What is known about Jim and Norman's backgrounds which may indicate the huge conflict in their personalities? Jim is probably intelligent because he reads all the time and he is crafty enough to make extra money, so where is the disconnect for Norman as far as Jim is concerned? Support your answer with examples.

Essay Topic 3

Explain the concept of irony as it relates to Jim's not eating any pie even after he has complained relentlessly that the cooks do not serve any pie for breakfast. Why would Maclean choose to include this example of Jim's behavior? Not having pie for breakfast does not seem like a big infraction, so why does Jim not let it go? Then, after he has accomplished his goal of getting pie served in the mornings, why does he not eat it?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 702 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample