View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why do Titus and Gus go to Portland?

2. What other living thing speaks in Titus's house?

3. What happened to the creek?

4. Why does it take Eddy so long to get from Portland to Tamanawis?

5. What is the origin of the creek as Gus finds out.

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Gus learn about solitude?

2. Explain the scene written about Steve and his family and losing the monkey doll on the mountain.

3. What is the significance of the chapter title "Closing the Door"?

4. Why is Bill Bob standing in the cold whistling?

5. In what way is Nick a convert?

6. How does Gus become somewhat famous in the chapter "Hemingway"?

7. What do Henning and his colleagues do metaphysically that Gus does not understand?

8. Why can't Gus communicate with Eddy when he meets her?

9. How does the story told by Thomas Bigeater affect Gus? Be sure to state specifics from the story.

10. How does Titus use Rodney to explain God to Gus?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What does Eddy teach Gus about God? How does she do this?

Essay Topic 2

In the early chapters of the novel, Duncan gives strong indicators of how Gus sees the way his parents feel about their children. What are Gus's deepest thoughts? How does he express them? How do they affect Gus?

Essay Topic 3

How are the Orvistons a non-traditional family? How does this effect Gus and Bill Bob?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,139 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample