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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 boots do Lewis and his friends wear?

2. What is a way to tell who the ghost elk is?

3. What does Lewis notice about Harley's grave in Part II?

4. What does Lewis make on the floor of his living room?

5. What condition did Lewis and his friends take in order to not have to pay a fine for hunting the elk they killed?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Lewis's friends come over to his house in Part I?

2. Why does Lewis bury the elk fetus?

3. What does Lewis repeatedly think he sees near his house in Part II?

4. What is unusual about the young elk Lewis kills?

5. What tragedy has just occurred in Ricky's life that contributes to his choice to leave the reservation?

6. Why does Lewis call Cass in Part I?

7. What does Lewis see when he and Shaney play basketball in Part I?

8. How does Ricky die in Part I?

9. How does Lewis's dog Harley die?

10. How do Lewis's friends feel about him marrying Peta?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What do you think Jones is aiming to highlight about Indian culture through his focus on parent-child relationships and Lewis's sense of guilt about his and Peta's decision not to have children? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 2

How does Jones highlight the problem of alcoholism among Indians through different characters and throughout this novel? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text.

Essay Topic 3

Why do you think Jones decides to tell the climactic events of the Elk Spirit's confrontation with Denorah from the point of view of an elderly tribal storyteller at the end of the novel? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to support your arguments.

(see the answer keys)

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