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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 bad news does Tommy bring in Cock Problems?

2. What is different about the narrative voice in Growing Up in Public from previous chapters?

3. From whom does Tommy borrow money in Scotland Takes Drugs in Psychic Defense?

4. What drug does the group do after Begbie leaves?

5. In Na Na and Other Nazis, how does Spud feel since coming off heroin?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Renton realize about Begbie in The Glass?

2. How does Tommy fall into the heroin lifestyle in Cock Problems?

3. How does Begbie respond to the groups when they don't want to rob a tourist?

4. Why is Stevie sad on New Years?

5. What does Renton discover the morning after having sex with Dianne?

6. Why are the mates made anxious by Begbie's plans for this chapter?

7. How does Renton prepare to come off of junk in The First Day of the Edinburgh Festival?

8. How does Spud get in a brawl in Na Na and Other Nazis?

9. How does Renton meet Dianne?

10. Describe Renton and Spuds' tiff and reconciliation in this chapter.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The narration of Trainspotting alternates between first and third person. Write an essay about these transitions and the difference between the two types of narrative. How does Welsh use different verbiage for each type of perspective? Discuss how each type of point-of-view reflects a different tone and intent? How do the first-person sections vary from one another depending on who is speaking?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay about the character of Tommy. To what extent is he the most sadly innocent of the central figures in Trainspotting? What are his drugs of choice at the beginning of the novel? What does he want from life, and how does this lead him to heroin? Discuss the extent to which Tommy' story is the most cautionary of those regarding the consequences of drug use.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay on the subject of nonparticipation in modern life. To what extent are all of the characters in Trainspotting choosing not to participate in life? What are they distinctly trying to avoid? What pain and disappointment are they wary of? How have the major characters in the novel coped to avoid maintaining ties with each other and family and to avoid having jobs?

(see the answer keys)

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