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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. To what animal are the Dumpkeeper's daughters regularly compared?

2. How much does the blacksmith charge to sharpen and repair Ballard's axe?

3. How many daughters does the Dumpkeeper have?

4. Where is the man in the cell opposite of Ballard from?

5. What does the blacksmith do with the axe-blade after cooling the metal?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do the Dumpkeeper and Ballard do on their days together?

2. What statement does the Sheriff make to Ballard after he is released?

3. How does Ballard win three prizes?

4. What does Lester Ballard discover in a car outside his shack one night, and what happens?

5. Why does Ballard abruptly leave the Dumpkeeper's house in Chapter 16?

6. What news does Darfuzzle give Ballard?

7. Describe the man in the cell across from Ballard's.

8. How is Lester Ballard's neck injured?

9. What deal does Lester Ballard try to broker with Fred Kirby?

10. What process does the blacksmith use to sharpen Ballard's axe head?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

By the end of the novel, Lester Ballard has accumulated a strange menagerie of items in his cave. Each has a particular meaning and function for him, and each reflects a sort of perversion of traditional values and relationships. Write a paragraph about each of these items, how they came into Ballard's possession, and what they mean thematically:

Part 1) The rifle

Part 2) The stuffed animals

Part 3) The women's clothes

Essay Topic 2

Cormac McCarthy is widely renowned for his evocative descriptions of the power of nature. His work seems to invoke a cruel God that allows human beings to hurt each other and then punishes them with the elements. Write an essay about two of the major natural events in the novel and how they coincide with the personal evil of Lester Ballard:

Part 1) How does the fire in Ballard's shack reflect the destruction of his soul within the context of his personal actions? Examine this event and the events surrounding it.

Part 2) How does the flood and torrential rain coincide with Ballard's complete degeneration into madness? Describe both the effects of the flood and the personal toll it takes on Ballard.

Essay Topic 3

Child of God, while a violent and horrific narrative, contains scenes of bleak humor, centering generally on Lester Ballard's inability to function effectively in normal society. Write an essay encompassing three of these episodes:

Part 1) Examine the interchange that Ballard has with the Blacksmith. How does this scene reflect a rare occurrence of a mainstream individual attempting to relate to Ballard? How does Ballard respond?

Part 2) Consider Ballard's exchange with Mr. Fox at the grocery. How does this interchange reflect a general societal attitude toward Ballard within Sevier County, and is Ballard's reaction to Fox a microcosm of his reaction to Sevier in general?

Part 3) In Blount County, Ballard tries to sell three purloined watches to a group of men, who scam him. What does this scene say about Ballard's ultimate lack of control in the world?

(see the answer keys)

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