logo

25 pages 50 minutes read

Annie Proulx

55 Miles to the Gas Pump

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1999

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Essay Topics

1.

What sort of picture of the Crooms’ marriage emerges from the text? What details contribute to that impression?

2.

Consider Rancher Croom’s suicide. Why does Proulx choose this method of death for Croom? How does it contribute to his characterization and/or the story’s themes?

3.

Conduct a bit of research on the Bluebeard legend. To what extent does Proulx draw upon the legend in “55 Miles to the Gas Pump”? What modern spin does she put on the fairy-tale motifs of villainous man, innocent woman, and justice served?

blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
Unlock IconUnlock all 25 pages of this Study Guide
Plus, gain access to 8,450+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
+ Mobile App
+ Printable PDF
+ Literary AI Tools