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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. Why was Robert often angry when he got his check?

2. What was the most unusual thing about Bob-A-Lou?

3. What was Hamper's first impression of the crew of men he was called in with the first day?

4. Why did absenteeism increase greatly on Fridays?

5. Why did Hamper grow up in a neighborhood of houses that all look alike?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Hamper tells the story of people who disagree with the shop-rats' drinking, he writes much of the story in capital letters. What literary effect does this visual change have on the story?

2. Who were Lightnin' and Same-O? What did their lives say about Hamper's future?

3. What is Hamper's first exposure to the true culture of the Cab Shop? How did this dramatically change his attitude toward work?

4. Who or what was Hamper's greatest enemy at work? How did he use his new attitude about work to combat the enemy?

5. How did poetry temporarily draw Hamper out of his slide toward the factory? How might this have paved the way for more writing in the future?

6. Hamper's father, though not a model of determination or reliability, often berated his son because of his poor grades. How did his cursing set the tone of their conversations about school?

7. What kind of person was Joanie? Use Hamper's references to her to create a character description.

8. What kind of a person was Franklin? How was his personality different than expected? How did he act as a sort of prototype for Hamper's own life?

9. How is Hamper's portrayal of his mother pathetic at times? Is it a fair character description?

10. How did Hamper begin to construct his life after high school? How was he alone and yet not alone during this time?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What role did the time clock play in Hamper's life? How did it become his worst enemy?

Essay Topic 2

As seen in several examples throughout the book, how did General Motors treat their employees? How did Hamper's stories shed an honest light on the company?

Essay Topic 3

"Layin' back is a fine reward when you're employed. However, layin' back tends to wear thin when it itself becomes your job. Gettin' loaded, readin' magazines, staring at the television becomes a rut rather than any form of relaxation" (pg 83). How is this true? What part did unemployment play in Hamper's life? How did it change his opinion about working?

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