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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. When did Blackie seize four guards as hostages?

2. What was the name of the criminal Mailer wrote about in the Executioner's Song?

3. What does Abbott say the American prison does rather than rehabilitate?

4. What does Abbott question about Gilmore?

5. What author does Abbott reference in this chapter?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Abbott not like the prisoner who denounces sex, drink and drugs?

2. What does Abbot state are his reasons for taking heroin and marijuana?

3. What does Abbott say about Communist revolution?

4. How does prison blacken men's hearts?

5. Why does Abbott say he wishes for instability in the East?

6. How did Blackie try to expose the prison system?

7. How does Abbott link prejudice to testing?

8. What was the third racist incident Abbott experienced during his time away from prison?

9. What is Abbott's opinion of American society?

10. Why does Abbott think Gilmore insists on the death penalty?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does Abbott think rehabilitation rather than punishment is the key to curing prisoners? How could you criticize Abbott's view?

Essay Topic 2

How would Abbott cope in the outside world? How do you think conditions in prison could be changed to help socialize the inmates better?

Essay Topic 3

What is supersanity? Why does Abbott think supersanity is so conducive to deep thinking?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 647 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample