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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. Where is the Indian reservation Christine grows up on?

2. How does Rayona often describe herself?

3. Aunt Ida tells Christine she is turning into a ____________.

4. What does Elgin do for a living?

5. What is the name of the town holding the Indian rodeo?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Aunt Ida place Lee's casket during the funeral service?

2. What is the significance of the cliff near Tacoma where Christine wants to commit suicide?

3. How does Christine treat Elgin when he comes to return the car keys at the hospital?

4. Why does Christine call her mother Aunt Ida?

5. How does Christine get a bad reputation on the reservation?

6. What diagnosis does Christine get after she goes into the hospital for drinking too much?

7. How does Rayona describe what happens when Evelyn meets Father Tom?

8. How does Evelyn figure out that Rayona is lying about her parents?

9. Why does Christine return to Aunt Ida's while Rayona is in school?

10. What is the time period of the novel when it switches to Christine's point of view?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Dorris's portrayal of Indians and Indian culture. Are his depictions stereotypical or does he show them to be nuanced human beings with individual, as well as a collective struggle to find their places in the world?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the structure of the novel and the effect of having the story told from three points of view. How does the impact of the novel different if the story is told in the reverse order?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Dorris' use of humor and irony throughout the novel. How does the humor provide an important counterpoint to the raw emotions of the novel? How do humor and irony add to the poignancy of these women's stories?

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