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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. In Chapter 3, where is the group headed?

2. Who discusses Joselito’s treatment options with the doctor?

3. Which of the following is a white, crystalline, narcotic powder derived from morphine and formerly used as an analgesic and sedative?

4. What do the freed addicts raid once they are freed from the psychiatric hospital?

5. In what year was Naked Lunch originally published?

Short Essay Questions

1. William looks down on the other passengers of the bus because they do not know anything about the drug subculture but pretend to in “And Start West.” Why is this significant to the novel’s themes?

2. How does William deal with the deaths of his friends in “The Rube”? Why is this significant?

3. How does the narrative style and plot structure change in “Hassan’s Rumpus Room”?

4. What is the significance of Vigilante’s character in the novel? How does the Vigilante change?

5. How is the plot structure of “And Start West” different from the plot structures of the other vignettes in the novel?

6. What is symbolized by the disease Bang-utot in the narrative?

7. How is Joselito described? Where is he in the beginning of the chapter named for him?

8. How is Dr. Benway viewed by those around him?

9. Why is Willy at Hassan’s Hospital in “Hospital”? How is his situation described?

10. What does the character of Joselito represent symbolically?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the symbolism of Bang-utot and the themes of sexuality and counterculture in the novel. How are homosexuality and homosexual acts dealt with by the author? What do you think William S. Burroughs’s statements about sexuality imply?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and discuss the reality of the drug addict in the narrative. What physical changes does the author describe? How do the characters change socially as they use and stop using drugs?

Essay Topic 3

Naked Lunch explores several themes, including drugs and homosexuality. How do the drug and homosexual subcultures of the 1950s mix in the novel? How are these related to the other themes?

(see the answer keys)

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