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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. Where does the large cat find refuge from the rain?

2. What does Ownby want to bring with him when he is arrested?

3. How often does Gifford return to the store to question Huffaker about Ownby?

4. Where does John Wesley go to visit Sylder?

5. What do the boys do in the cave?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Sylder stop at Officer Gifford's house on the way home from a whiskey run?

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

3. How does John Wesley manage to get into the mental asylum to visit Ownby?

4. Why is Sylder's toe injury probably unrelated to a war injury?

5. Describe Ownby's arrest by Officer Gifford.

6. What emotions does the orchard keeper have when he finds the peach pit smoldering?

7. What are John Wesley and Warn's speculation on what had happened to the mink?

8. Why can the authorities not be absolutely certain that the corpse is that of Kenneth Rattner and what do they tell Rattner's widow?

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

10. What is the significance of cats in the story?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author uses some important instances of foreshadowing in the story. Explain what foreshadowing is and cite at least two examples making sure to explain what makes each an example of foreshadowing.

Essay Topic 2

The author uses more than one iteration on the theme of greed. Identify at least two examples about greed in the book. Then explain how each example supports the theme of greed.

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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