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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 kind of animal does Jody kill for the first time when Chapter 2 opens?

2. What does Carl think Gitano has stolen from him?

3. How does Billy often perform at local rodeos?

4. What makes Carl think that Easter is dead the morning Gitano leaves?

5. Where does Jess report Gitano was heading?

Short Essay Questions

1. What has Jody's mom told him about the mountains?

2. Who really teaches Jody how to get ready to ride his pony?

3. What are the first signs Jody sees in his pony that makes him think he is sick?

4. According to Jody, how does Gabilan express himself?

5. When Jody first spots Gitano coming down the road, where does he appear to be coming from?

6. Why does the stallion break his rope when he sees and smells Nellie for the first time?

7. How long have the mice been living under the haystack (at the beginning of Chapter 4)?

8. Why does Billy Buck not enter the kitchen before anyone else?

9. What has Billy told Carl about Jody's skill with horses?

10. What country owned the Tiflin ranch when Gitano was born there?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Perhaps because of the nature of a cattle ranch, blood makes multiple appearances in _The Red Pony_. Discuss the use of blood in the novel. Is it positive? Negative? What does it represent? Does its symbolism change? How can a reader make sense of blood when it makes an appearance in the text?

Essay Topic 2

Chapter 3 has significantly more violence than the other chapters in the book. Discuss at least 2 instances where violence appears and what Steinbeck is trying to convey by putting violence into an otherwise non-violent text.

Essay Topic 3

Much of Jody's energy in Chapter 4 is focused on asking questions of his grandfather about his past and his past adventures. Discuss why Steinbeck focuses so much on this and what it shows about Jody's character as the novel reaches its conclusion. Make sure to use quotations from the text to support your positions.

(see the answer keys)

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