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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. About how many miles per day was Cheryl able to cover in the first part of her trip in Chapter 5: “Tracks”?

2. What is the name of Cheryl's step-father?

3. Who helped Cheryl lighten her pack while she was in Kennedy Meadows?

4. What is the highest peak in the contiguous United States?

5. Where did Cheryl and Doug find a campground two miles down from Trail Pass Trail in Chapter 8: “Corvidology”?

Short Essay Questions

1. What book inspired Cheryl's journey? Where did Cheryl first encounter this book?

2. How does Cheryl describe her past relationship with Joe in Chapter 4: “The Pacific Crest Trail, Volume I: California”?

3. Where is the author in the Prologue of the memoir? What action takes place in the Prologue?

4. Where does Cheryl's hike of the PCT begin? What thoughts does Cheryl have upon arriving at her starting point in Chapter 2: “Splitting”?

5. What happens when Cheryl goes to lift her backpack and set out on the hike in Chapter 3: “Hunching in a Remotely Upright Position”?

6. Who does Cheryl encounter when she arrives at Kennedy Meadows in Chapter 7: “The Only Girl in the Woods”?

7. How would you describe Cheryl's mindset as she returns to the PCT in Chapter 9: “Staying Found”?

8. What information does Cheryl learn during her detour in Chapter 6: “A Bull in Both Directions”?

9. How does Cheryl describe her early childhood and her biological father in Chapter 1: “The Ten Thousand Things”?

10. What symbolism is revealed to be connected to the feather that Cheryl carries in Chapter 8: “Corvidology”?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the themes of friendship and human connection in Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. How does Cheryl evolve in her relationships as a result of her experiences on the trail? In what ways do Cheryl’s perceptions of men and women transform as she meets and befriends fellow hikers?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the genres of memoir and Bildungsroman. How does the term “Bildungsroman” relate to the narrative of Wild? How do literary devices such as theme, plot structure, imagery, metaphor, and symbolism apply to this genre? How do memoirs vary in terms of how they are related and how they are structured?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of hope in Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. What are some of the symbols used in the story to establish this theme? What gives Cheryl hope as she continues on her journey throughout the book? How is the theme related in the ending of the narrative?

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