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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 men is solely responsible for killing Old Ben?

2. Which of the following adjectives does Ike use to describe the process of buying and selling land?

3. Which of the following characters believes he has squandered close-range shots when he comes face-to-face with Old Ben?

4. How do the convict and the Cajun man communicate?

5. In Ike's opinion, who was most responsible for suppressing Blacks in the South?

Short Essay Questions

1. How old is the young boy at the opening of the story, "The Bear", and what is he waiting to do?

2. What is the reaction from the townsfolk when news spreads that both Old Ben and Sam are dead?

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

4. What casualties are incurred while Old Ben is fighting for his life in the moments before his death?

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

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

7. What is the legend that surrounds Old Ben?

8. Who or what kills Major de Spain's colt?

9. What happens when the convict meets the woman of his dreams at a refugee camp?

10. What does Ike claim is the curse that has landed in the South?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the opening of "The Old Man", the readers meet two convicts that are serving time for various crimes. First, describe the crimes of the fat convict and compare / contrast those crimes with the crimes of the tall convict. What is the same about their crimes? What is different? Then, explain why each of these men is actually in prison and what their reactions to their sentences are. What message do you think Faulkner is sending his readers about guilt and punishment through the example of these two convicts?

Essay Topic 2

The story "The Bear" is a coming-of-age story about a boy growing up physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Which of these three themes do you think is most present in the boy's story? Choose one of these maturities and create a time line for its growth. What message do you think Faulkner is sending to his audience about maturity? What lessons do you think the young boy learned throughout his coming-of-age? Be sure to include at least two examples from the text that you believe help strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 3

Throughout the novel, "The Old Man", Faulkner continues to hint at what he believes to be the dehumanization of men in prison. Choose two examples from the text that you believe best exemplify the dehumanization of prisoners. How does Faulkner use the examples of the two convicts as a way to explore this dehumanization? Finally, do you think Faulkner's message of dehumanization could effect change in current prisons today? Why or why not? Be sure to include at least two examples from the text that you believe help to strengthen your arguments.

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