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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. In Chapter 19, who tracks down Avery at May's nursing home?

2. How many graves does Rill say are on the Sevier property in Chapter 20?

3. In Chapter 21, how long has Avery's family been fighting off the press?

4. In Chapter 17, how old was Mary Sykes baby sisters when they were taken from their mother?

5. At the beginning of Chapter 19, what is Avery watching that makes her nearly hit another car?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 18, why did Rill think that Briny and Queenie might not want her back?

2. In Chapter 22, what did Mr. and Mrs. Sevier want to do about Miss Tann and her demands?

3. What is the first thing that Avery and Trent find after the cabbie drops them off and they walk down a path?

4. In Chapter 18, what happened to Rill at the end of the chapter?

5. In Chapter 16, why did Miss Dodd need the job at the home?

6. What happened to Gabion at the viewing party in Chapter 14?

7. In Chapter 15, why does Trent say that his grandfather helped find people?

8. In Chapter 14, what condition was Camellia in when Rill returned from the viewing party?

9. In Chapter 17, what photographs does Avery find in Trent's grandfather's research room in the old slave cabin?

10. In Chapter 17, what fond memory does Avery have of being on Edisto Island alone with her father?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

As Rill left the river for the last time, she realized that Rill had to die and May Weathers had to live. What experiences did Rill have that made her the person she was? Did her experiences made her stronger or weaker? Why did she decide Rill had to die and May had to live?

Essay Topic 2

In the novel, some characters are more thoroughly described than others. Who are some characters that are merely named in passing or have a minor role in the novel? What is the importance of these flat characters to the story line? In what way do these characters make the main characters more colorful or interesting? How do they provide background information or advance the plot? When there is conflict, what type of role do these flat characters play?

Essay Topic 3

Hootsie and May did not get along when May first moved to the Seviers’ home. How would you describe the relationship between the two when May first moved to the Seviers’ home? How did their relationship change after May and Fern returned? How did their relationship change by the end of the novel, and why was there such a change?

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