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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. Which of the following adjectives best describes Ike's marriage?

2. How many of Old Ben's feet have been mangled by traps set by the hunters?

3. How old must the young boy be before he will be allowed to go hunting with the men?

4. What is Boon's last name?

5. What was the name of the war that ended slavery in the South?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Ike respond when he learns that he has inherited a large chunk of land from his father's will?

2. What is the history of race-relations between Blacks and Whites in the South, as Ike understands it?

3. What do the hunters do to pass the time when they are bored on their hunting trips?

4. How does Ike live his life after he decides not to accept his inherited land?

5. Who is Ash?

6. How is Old Ben killed?

7. Who is Fonsiba, and why does Ike feel the need to track her down?

8. What is the legend that surrounds Old Ben?

9. What happens in the story when the young boy turns sixteen?

10. Who finally sells the land on which the hunting camp once stood?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the story "Spotted Horses", the escaped wild horses run rampant in the town, creating much damage for the already struggling Mississippi families. First, explain how the horses managed to escape from their pens and then list the damages created by their stampede. Which family do you think came out with the worst damages after the stampede? How can you tell? Finally, explain how the damaged family managed to right their lives again (if they did) and what effect the horse stampede had on this family's relationship with the town.

Essay Topic 2

When Hipps comes to town with the spotted horses in the story of the same name, the one heckler he meets in the crowd in a man called Ratcliff. First, describe Ratcliff's character. What motivation does Ratcliff have to heckle Hipps when he comes to town? Then, describe what has happened in Ratcliff's history that made the Texan people not take his critique of Hipps seriously. Do you think the townsfolk should have listened to Ratcliff? Why or why not? Be sure to include at least two examples from the text to strengthen your argument.

Essay Topic 3

In both of the stories, "The Old Man" and "Spotted Horses", the stories explore the role the law plays in the common folks' lives. First, explain what role the law (police) plays in the lives of the characters in "Spotted Horses" and compare / contrast that to the role the law plays in the story "The Old Man". Then, choose one character whose life you think was bettered by the intrusion of the law in their problems and compare / contrast that to one character whose life you think was ruined by the law interfering with their problems. At the end of the day, what message do you think Faulkner is trying to send his readers about the intrusion of the law in our everyday lives?

(see the answer keys)

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