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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. Where do Harley and Tayo pick up a ride after they leave the spring?

2. What does the medicine man say the white doctors do with the dead in the mental hospitals?

3. In one of the poems, who is Reed Woman's sister?

4. What does the medicine man do when Tayo wakes and the medicine man sits down with Tayo?

5. What does Betonie draw in the sand that he tells Tayo to remember?

Short Essay Questions

1. How are the cattle branded and what does Josiah do about that?

2. Where does Tayo spend the night on the day he finds the cattle and who does he see when he wakes?

3. How does Tayo and Rocky end up in the military and how do they end up stationed together?

4. Why does Tayo attack Emo?

5. What does Betonie say when Tayo says he wants to find Josiah’s cattle?

6. Where are Tayo and Rocky sent, what kind of problem does Tayo have there and what does Rocky do to try and help Tayo?

7. What does Tayo’s mother do with him when he is four?

8. How do Josiah and the boys learn about cattle care?

9. How does Robert begin to break through to Tayo and why might Robert be a good person to talk to his nephew?

10. What does Ku'oosh say to Tayo after Tayo talks to Ku'oosh and what does Ku'oosh leave Tayo? What is Tayo’s response?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Characters are an important part of what makes Ceremony interesting.

Thoroughly discuss and analyze Tayo. What are his strengths and weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he usually likable? Seldom likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas. Use the same criteria to thoroughly discuss and analyze Auntie and Emo.

Essay Topic 2

There are many elements of effective psychotherapy in the counseling that Tayo receives from both Ku'oosh and Betonie. They guide him gently through a recounting, re-examination and recasting of all the demons that possess him.

Discuss reasons Tayo talking about his experiences might help him come to terms with what he has been through. Include a discussion of what the above statement might mean by “Tayo’s demons.” Use examples from Ceremony to support your response.

Essay Topic 3

Analyze and discuss what you think are the characteristics of a successful novel and why Ceremony is or is not a successful novel based on your criteria. Do you think the criteria for a successful novel should be different if it is written for adults versus young adults?

(see the answer keys)

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