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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. The novel's prologue depicts a group of men aboard a ship with what name?

2. What particular medical skill does Lorimer teach to Håkan at the site of the massacre?

3. When Håkan begins to pay attention to the conversations happening aboard the ship, he names which element as common to them all?

4. A convoy from what location arrives in order to threaten the Brennans if they do not give up their mine and flee?

5. Lorimer identifies the original owners of the teeth presented to him by the Native Americans as what types of animals?

Short Essay Questions

1. As Håkan's first summer away from his family comes to a close, what is said to be "all Håkan could think of" (40)?

2. How does the parting of Håkan and Lorimer come about?

3. Why is the extremely large man a topic of conversation for the other passengers on the ship, other than his size?

4. Describe the distinctive opening of Chapter 6 and its use of sensory details.

5. How does Håkan feel about his older brother Linus?

6. Who is Lorimer and what are three of his characteristics?

7. On what type of food does Håkan survive after he escapes from the diseased woman's clutches?

8. What coping mechanism does Håkan employ in order to get his fear under control and what is its level of effectiveness??

9. Discuss an instance when the theme of collectivism appears within the novel.

10. What is distinctive about the large man's coat and what conclusions are drawn about it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Diaz's choice to tell the novel of In the Distance using a third person omniscient narrator. What elements of the novel's themes lend themselves to this choice and what are Diaz’s intended effects on the reader?

Essay Topic 2

Sensory details are used frequently by Diaz in order to create vivid pictures of each character's progression through the narrative of In the Distance. Choose three scenes in which sensory details are heavily used and discuss how the sensory details used serve Diaz’s creation of vivid characters to populate the narrative.

Essay Topic 3

Analyze In the Distance from an Existential perspective. What elements of life does it suggest hold the most meaning and why?

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