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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. What does Per Hansa bring back to camp in Book 1, Chapter 1 to appease his wife?

2. What is Per Hansa's purpose for buying the twine and knitting a net?

3. What does the injured Indian give Per Hansa in exchange for helping him?

4. Why does Per Hans walk so far ahead of the caravan?

5. Who gets into a physical fight with one of the men from the large caravan?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the effects of the winter of 1880-1881 on the settlement at Spring Creek?

2. In Book 1, Chapter 5, what does Per Hansa discover in Worthington that so delights him? How does he come upon it and what does he decide to do?

3. Describe Per Hansa's plan for his house.

4. What is Beret Hansa's emotional/mental state in Book 1, Chapter 1 of the novel? Why?

5. How does Per Hansa die? In what position is he found?

6. What type of business does Per Hansa conduct regarding the furs from the Indians?

7. What does the woman who has been tied in the back of the wagon do while she is at Per Hansa's house?

8. Why does Per Hansa go to the Indian camp in Book 1, Chapter 3? What does he discover once he gets there?

9. What is some of Beret's strange behavior that Per Hansa shares with the minister?

10. Why does Tonseten need to talk to the minister in private?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The novel includes many religious and Biblical aspects whether they were subtle allusions to the Bible or religious sayings or outright preaching and ministry. Discuss the religious aspects of the novel. Which character or characters are most involved in the religious aspects? How is religion or Biblical allusion part of the daily life of the settlers? What part does religion play in their lives? Provide examples from the book.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the style of the novel. Include in your discussion the importance of the title of the chapters, the pacing of the novel, the way the themes are used, and other style elements involved. Provide examples of the author's style and discuss whether the style is effective in this type of novel.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the place of the children in the novel and in pioneer life. We often see in the novel that Per Hansa employs his sons to help promote the family dream. How are the children treated in the novel? How do their characters develop throughout the novel? How would a family with children be more successful as opposed to a family consisting of only a husband and wife? Provide examples.

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