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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 is the German captive called among the Comanches of Eli’s tribe?

2. How many people does Peter say Pancho Villa killed across the border in New Mexico in Chapter Twenty-one?

3. How old was Jeanne’s mother when she died?

4. What is the name of Jeanne McCullough’s daughter?

5. What nickname does Eli’s father call their neighbor who has his horses stolen in Chapter Four?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Jeanne perceive her father’s death?

2. How would you describe the narrative style of the first three chapters of the novel?

3. What internal conflicts does Peter face when Charles shoots Dutch Hollis?

4. What prompts Jeanne’s decision to side with Phineas in Chapter Twenty?

5. How is the theme of gender bias illustrated in Chapters Nine through Thirteen?

6. How are Peter and Eli McCullough different in their outlooks and approaches to life?

7. What action does the Colonel take after Peter’s son has been shot in Chapter Six?

8. How do the Colonel and Charles differ in their viewpoints about their land and future?

9. How are the circumstances of Eli’s Indian tribe described in 1851 in Chapter Twenty-two?

10. How are the living conditions of the Indians described in Chapter Nineteen?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast the characters of Jeanne McCullough and Eli McCullough in the novel. How are Jeanne and her great-grandfather alike? How do they differ? What kind of relationship did Jeanne have with the Colonel before he died?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze and discuss the reasons that Toshaway’s tribe feels justified in their raids in Texas and the southwest. Do you think that the Indians were justified, granted the behavior of the whites? Why or why not? How might these matters have been addressed differently?

Essay Topic 3

Examine Peter McCullough’s account of the conflicts between the McCullough and Garcia families. How does Peter’s account of the events differ from his father’s? Who do you think is relating the truth of the matter? Why?

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