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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. What does Chris do for the first time with Blood?

2. Who is Pretty Preston?

3. What is a "Cop and Blow" scheme?

4. What is Blood's first "need" at the beginning of Chapter 10?

5. Who introduces professional pimping into Blood's life?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Pretty Preston used as a foil for Sweet Jones?

2. Who are the first pimps and prostitutes in young Bobby's life and how is his encounter with them a generally positive experience?

3. Like many of the chapters, the title of Chapter 6, "Drilling for Oil" may have multiple meanings. What are two possible interpretations of the "Oil" that Slim is drilling for?

4. What are two ways in which the Melody incident is haunting for Blood in Chapter 7?

5. Did Blood's "pep talk" (beating) at the end of Chapter 6 have an effect on Runt in Chapter 7?

6. Thinking about the content and purpose of Chapter 5 in the story, what does the title "The Jungle Fauna" mean? What or where is the Jungle? What or who is the fauna? (When thinking about the Jungle, remember the title of Chapter 2, "First Steps into the Jungle.")

7. How does Pretty Preston reveal his true colors in Chapter 6?

8. How does Blood's experience with Pepper instill in him a desire for money?

9. How does Blood show his courage and psychological insight in his dealings with Sweet Jones in Chapter 6?

10. In Chapter 4, in spite of his quick score with Runt, what is Blood constantly reminding himself and why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Opinion: Like many of the Harlem Renaissance writers of youth, Iceberg Slim resorts to street vernacular and slang not just for the character dialogue in his book, but for his own first person account. In your opinion what contribution does this make to the book? Does it emphasize the gritty reality of the book? Does it make Slim just sound illiterate? Does it make the book easy or difficult to read? Does it contribute to the atmosphere of the book? Does it seem necessary?

Essay Topic 2

In Chapter 21, it is the news of Party Time's demise that finally provides the impetus for Slim to pull his life together and vow to quit drugs and pimping forever. What about this loss of his first street buddy, his first con partner, causes Slim to question every life decision he has made?

Essay Topic 3

In Chapter 1, Bobby Beck's father suggests to his mother that they should leave Bobby on the steps of the Catholic church since they cannot afford him. Given the childhood violence Beck is exposed to and life that Beck subsequently leads, would this perhaps have been a better alternative leading to a better life? Consider what the upbringing of a black boy in a 1920's Catholic orphanage would have been like, the damage (or lack of) Beck/Blood/Slim inflicted on those around him and the ultimate result of his decisions and life path.

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