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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 is Helen Laski?

2. With what does Griffin threaten Cindy if she tries to escape?

3. When Dan makes a threat about getting a gun and using it, what is Griffin's response?

4. What did Chuck do that night?

5. What does Ralphie want to do?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Carson and Bard do when after Robish is outside?

2. What does Dan tell Eleanor to do after Robish is gone and what does Griffin do?

3. Who knocks at the door of the Hilliard's house and what does he do?

4. What happens to Dan when returning from picking up Griffin's money? How is Dan feeling at this point?

5. How does Bard feel after he kills Griffin and how does Carson respond?

6. During the first scene at the Hilliard house, how does Eleanor feel when her family are all gone off to their daily places, and what does she do?

7. What convinces Griffin to get ready to leave the house?

8. What does Dan do after Robish opens the front door?

9. What does Hank do when Cindy tries to move?

10. Why and how does Chuck confront Griffin?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mr. Patterson, the garbage man, comes by to collect money for the monthly bill and realizes something is suspicious. Robish jumps on the back of his truck and ends up murdering Mr. Patterson. Answer the following questions in a well-developed essay using examples from the book as well as personal experience:

1. Is there anything Mr. Patterson could have done to be safe? Would you have thought to check the back of your truck under the same circumstance?

2. Do you think that the only thing Robish could have done is kill Mr. Patterson? What about tying him up and letting someone else know later? What does it say about Robish as a person that he so easily kills a man?

3. Do you think Glen Griffin would have taken the same action as Robish against Mr. Patterson? What about Hank?

Essay Topic 2

Back at the sheriff's department, Bard explains that Griffin shot a policeman and he exited his hideout with his hands up with an evil grin on his face, which made Bard hit the crook on the jaw. Carson reminds Bard that that was inappropriate behavior, and Bard just wishes he had killed Griffin when he had the chance.

1. Do you think Bard is justified in hitting Griffin? Would it have been better for Bard to have killed Griffin when he has the opportunity? We only hear Bard's side of Griffin's encounter with Bard but have no way of knowing what prompts Griffin to shoot a policeman. If the policeman had been beating Griffin in a life threatening way, would that have justified Griffin shooting the policeman to save his own life? The fact that Griffin leaves his hostages alive suggests that Griffin is not gratuitously violent. How does this figure in with what Bard reveals about Griffin?

2. How often do you think the police go beyond the bounds of subduing a suspect and into the area of police brutality? Research incidents of alleged police brutality and give specific examples. What do think should happen to police officers who brutalize a citizen?

3. Is there any other better system to maintain order that would work in the United States in lieu of a police force? Discuss possible alternatives to the police system.

Essay Topic 3

The ending of Desperate Hours comes when the last convict, Glen Griffin, is out of the house and killed by the police. Answer the following questions in a well-developed essay using examples from the book as well as personal experience:

1. Why do you think Dan will not kill Griffin even when Griffin asks him to?

2. Do you think Glen could have come out of the situation alive? Would he want to? Why does he not care about living? Is his brother really that important to him?

3. Did the police have no alternative than to shoot Glen? It says Glen was waving the gun, not that he was aiming the gun at anyone. Should the police tried to get Glen to drop the gun first before killing him?

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