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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 do the black prisoners normally do?

2. When does Gavin think they must wait until to dig up the body?

3. What does Charles realize when Lucas notices him?

4. Who does Charles meet for the first time when he climbs out of the water?

5. What does Charles ask if he can take to Lucas?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Uncle Gavin opinion on Lucas' request to dig up the dead body?

2. Describe the painting in Lucas's cabin.

3. How does chapter five express Charles's need to come of age as a man?

4. Why is Lucas not popular with white people in the town?

5. In what way does Charles become obsessed by the incident?

6. Why is Sheriff Hampton so reluctant to react to Charles story about the mule?

7. Why are the black prisoners so quiet the night Lucas is taken into the prison?

8. Do you think Will Legate is a good choice to guard Lucas at such a dangerous time?

9. In what way does Charles show he is the epiphany of a southern gentleman in chapter four?

10. Why does Charles become so involved in the murder case?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the novel's chronological setting.

1) What were the main concerns during the 1940s. How does Faulkner express these concerns?

2) In what ways do you think the novels meaning would change if it was set in today's society?

Essay Topic 2

Throughout the story Charles thinks he owes Lucas a favor and there are also many references to the southern gentlemen code. What is the southern gentlemen code? In what way does Faulkner present the southern gentlemen code as a backward and damaging tradition? In what ways do you think the characters and setting would lose and gain from the breakdown of the code?

Essay Topic 3

Faulkner uses southern dialect. What meaning do you think Faulkner's use of dialect brings to the novel? Do you think the dialect is accurate? Why do you think some authors choose to use dialect while others choose not to? Which method do you think is better?

(see the answer keys)

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