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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. According to the narrator, American culture builds up what kind of ideas?

2. What name does the narrator say to call him even though it is not his real name?

3. How does the narrator view the foibles of mankind in his corner of the world?

4. On what highway was the narrator traveling the day before?

5. What does the narrator do after passing out food for fifteen hours straight?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the rules of the contest Umbaugh suggested?

2. How is the narrator--as an observer of life--typically different from people like Umbaugh and Skunk?

3. How did the narrator's army experience separate him from the world?

4. Describe some of the misfortunes that happened to the boys as they tried to engage in camp activities.

5. Why does the book never mention the narrator's wartime experiences?

6. What is the premise of A FISTFUL OF FIG NEWTONS?

7. Describe the narrator's experience on cleanup detail at camp.

8. Who is Ernie and what happened to him during the narrator's story of KP duty?

9. How does the narrator's experience on the troop train parallel his journey through the Lincoln Tunnel and how does he cope with such circumstances?

10. How did Proust and Balzac block out the world and what does that same thing for the narrator?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Humor takes on an almost human persona in this story. What is this literary technique called? Cite examples that support this position.

Essay Topic 2

One of the most striking characteristics of Shepherd's writing was his complete honesty. Explain why this is necessary to complete a book of this nature. Would a reader be able to see through fabrications and falsehoods in a book like this? Describe why this format is the perfect for Shepherd's personality.

Essay Topic 3

Explain the significance of the book's title, "A FISTFUL OF FIG NEWTONS." Why did Shepherd choose this title? Is there an understood message in the title? Is there another title you can suggest that might be just as appropriate?

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