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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. Who shoots the Indian leader?

2. Whose voice does the Kid hear?

3. Why does the Kid wake up in the middle of the night?

4. Where is the next place the Kid arrives?

5. Where do the men go to meet the local women?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the Judge do with the dead Indian?

2. Describe The Kid's, Bathcat's and Toadvine's time in the cantina.

3. Describe the Kid's time with the Hermit.

4. What do the Kid and Sproule find in the carreta?

5. Describe how the soldiers walk into the Indian attack.

6. What does the bald man say is wrong with the preacher?

7. Describe the gang's time in Carralitos.

8. Why does the Kid join the army?

9. What do the prisoners see when they are let out of their cells?

10. How does the Kid find his donkey again?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine how much the Kid's upbringing was responsible for the person he became? What did he learn from his parents that made him into the person he became? How much did his father's blaming him for his mother's death affect him? Did it make him become a cold person? Would things have been any different if had met less violent people on his travels?

Essay Topic 2

Look at the racism portrayed in Blood Meridian. Do you think it stops just at the African American or are people like the Kid wronged against? Is the Glanton gang's battles against the Indians and the Mexicans racially motivated? Why do you think the Glanton gang accepts Black Johnson even going so far as telling the proprietor he had the right to be served? Was racism mostly restricted to the middle and upper classes in the 19th century? If so, why was this the case?

Essay Topic 3

McCarthy has lived in Texas and Mexico, adhering to the rule that writers should always write about what they know. Do you think it is obvious that McCarthy knows his subject? What difference do you think it makes to the story? Are there any moments where you think McCarthy does not portray a character or setting so well?

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This section contains 972 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample