View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who was Leona's boyfriend, prior to Alec?

2. Who is the brother of Lisabeth?

3. What does Ray jokingly prescribe as a cure for Jick's faults?

4. What task does Mac assign to Jick, for the time that he will be away?

5. Who reveals to Jick, during the Fourth of July Picnic, that he knows Jick drank whiskey with Stanley?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Earl and Alec come to blows outside the square dancing venue, how does the fight end?

2. How does Mac's square dance calling compare with that of Jerome, the main caller?

3. Why does Ed say his main memory of fighting in France is shaving?

4. What announcement by Jick's brother, Alec, early in Part 1, shatters the McCaskill family?

5. Early in Part 2, why does Jick feel hard used by Mac?

6. After the rodeo, why is Jick unable to finish his conversation with Stanley?

7. After the rodeo, when Jick says the summer has left him feeling unsettled, how does Ray respond?

8. Describe the special skills of Isodor.

9. What fate befell many of the ranch families who used to live along English Creek prior to the start of the novel?

10. As Jick finishes digging the new outhouse pit, why does Alec visit the McCaskill house?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Descriptions of a past way of life are interwoven in the novel, from counting sheep to haying, from canning to square dancing. Discuss how these descriptions add depth and authenticity to the novel.

Essay Topic 2

The fishing exploits of the McCaskill males are mentioned frequently in the novel. Discuss the poignancy and symbolism of Mac's death, when he is found with nine fish on his stringer and one on his hook.

Essay Topic 3

Why does Doig write Part 4 as an epilogue of sorts, wrapping up events and revealing the ultimate destinies of the people Jick cares about? What is the dramatic impact of this technique? Do the characters' destinies serve to reinforce the main theme or themes of the novel? Does the epilogue style fall flat, as compared to the rich, detailed narration and dialogue featured in Parts 1-3, or does the epilogue style create a satisfying end to the novel?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 741 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample