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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 the visitor tell Sandy?

2. Who visits Sandy at her work?

3. What is the season at the opening to Chapter 25?

4. With what does Teagardin struggle?

5. Who is pictured as thin and pale in an unbecoming bonnet?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where does Carl start hanging out and what is his reaction one night to a conversation between two Republicans?

2. How does Carl prepare for his and Sandy's next hunt?

3. What does Arvin ask Earskell about during Arvin's birthday celebration and why does Arvin request asking the question?

4. What does Arvin sense when Carl stops the car and what does Arvin do as Arvin gets out of the car?

5. Why does Roy leave where he is and what does he want to do?

6. What does Teagardin contemplate that night after the potluck dinner?

7. What does Pastor Sykes announce and what does he not tell his congregation?

8. What does Joe tell Sandy when he visits her at the bar one day and what is her reaction?

9. What does Carl think about when he goes to eat at the White Cow Diner?

10. Where does Carl take Sandy to teach her to shoot and how does the land owner almost lose his life?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Characters are an important part of what makes "The Devil All the Time" interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Arvin. What are his strengths? His weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he always likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

2. Thoroughly discuss and analyze the character of Sandy. What are her strengths? Her weaknesses? How does she contribute to the plot? Is she a sympathetic character? Is she ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

3. Thoroughly discuss and analyze the character of Carl. What are his strengths? His weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

Essay Topic 2

Willard's killing of Dunlap and the apparent spilling of his blood, is a grotesque reiteration of the narrative's emphasis on violence - another motif. It can also be seen as tying in with the two lessons Willard gave Arvin in the prologue of what Willard sees as standing up for himself and how he clearly chooses his time to do so quite carefully.

1. What do you think the author is saying about violence in this work? Use examples from your life and the text to support your answer.

2. Discuss Willard in light of his belief that the sacrifice of animals, and then a human, would restore his wife to health. Use examples from your life and the text to support your answer.

3. How do you think the two lessons Arvin received from Willard affected Arvin's life? Use examples from your life and the text to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think The Devil All the Time is? Explain your response.

(see the answer keys)

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