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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 John Wesley bring to Ownby in the mental asylum?

2. Who is the storekeep that Gifford questions about Ownby?

3. What is the orchard keeper's name?

4. How many police officers is Ownby accused of shooting?

5. To whom does John Wesley show the mangled mink?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Gifford focus his question about Ownby on a storekeep named Huffaker?

2. Does it appear that Arthur is completely anti-social?

3. Describe the police attack on Ownby's house.

4. Describe Ownby's arrest by Officer Gifford.

5. How is Sylder finally apprehended for bootlegging?

6. Why does McCarthy wait until this point in the story to reveal the orchard keeper's formal name?

7. How does Gifford put pressure on John Wesley to give up information about Sylder?

8. Describe the activities of the wildcat as it tries to find dry quarters as well as something to eat.

9. What happens to the Rattners by the end of the story?

10. What sense of foreboding does Sylder have as he tries to fall asleep?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

McCarthy uses more than one instance of irony in the story. Cite at least two other examples you can identify in the story and note why they are examples of irony. What is the major irony in the story? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

The author uses more than one iteration on the theme of loss. Identify at least two examples about loss in the book and then explain why the examples support the theme.

Essay Topic 3

Explain McCarthy's use of regionalism in the book. Cite examples of at least two different instances of regionalism and explain why the author used them where he did.

(see the answer keys)

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