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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 the incident when Granpa sees the old farmhouse in the clearing, why is Granpa surprised by the soldier's treatment of the people on the farm when he returns there later?

2. Why does Willow John leave a long knife in church?

3. Why does Mr. Wine light a candle at a special time?

4. Why does the author include the special relationship between Mr. Wine and Little Tree's family in the story?

5. The author implies there is a special bond between Willow John and Little Tree, despite the difference in their ages. What is the cause of this bond?

Short Essay Questions

1. Identify two specific lessons that Little Tree learns from his family and that are reinforced by Mr. Wine.

2. How and why does Granpa's approach to people in church who are badly off differ from the approach of others?

3. Why isn't Granpa interested in talking to Mr. Slick and Mr. Chunk about putting him to work on a big whiskey still?

4. Give an example from Chapter 12 of how well the author uses vivid description to convey a picture of Spring to the reader.

5. What are the main purposes served by the incident in which Granpa is bitten by the rattlesnake?

6. What does Chapter 16 suggest about the place of church going in the lives of Little Tree's family?

7. How do Granpa and Little Tree continue to make sure that as much as possible is learned from Little's Tree loss in the calf purchase?

8. What examples of prejudice and misunderstanding does Little Tree encounter at the orphanage?

9. In what way does the title of Chapter 18 foreshadow the events that occur in it?

10. What purpose does Willow John serve in the novel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The episodes in the novel that have to do with the church and church-going present Little Tree and the reader with instances of hypocrisy and contradiction associated with Christianity. Referring closely to important incidents in the novel, discuss the author's exploration of hypocrisy and contradictions in the behavior of representatives of Christianity.

Essay Topic 2

Among the important themes explored in this novel are exclusion and prejudice. Discuss the characters, circumstances and relationships through which the themes of exclusion and prejudice are explored in the novel.

Essay Topic 3

The controversy surrounding the authorship of the novel has led to the view that it is not a suitable book for teaching about the lives of American Indians. Discuss the dangers and merits involved in using this novel to teach the young about the lives and beliefs of American Indians and suggest methods that should be used to avert such dangers.

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