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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. Bird thinks the people in #38 look like ________________.

2. What does Bird tell Himiko?

3. When will the baby's condition be better known?

4. Who is the central character of the book?

5. The Hospital Director's behavior makes him appear to be __________________.

Short Essay Questions

1. What seems to exaggerate Bird's feelings of inadequacy at the arcade?

2. What does Bird's father-in-law give to Bird during the visit and why is this an unlikely offering given Bird's troubles with addiction?

3. What does Bird observe when he visits his father-in-law at the university?

4. Waking up sick with a hangover, what does Bird think might serve as partial restitution for the baby's dire situation?

5. What does the glass-eyed doctor tell Bird they will know more about the baby's condition?

6. What advice does Bird's mother-in-law give him regarding visiting his wife?

7. What is ironic about Bird's using sex to avoid responsibility?

8. What does Bird learn about the child's birth when he calls his mother-in-law?

9. How does the doctor exhibit insensitivity toward Bird about the baby on the way to the hospital?

10. How is Bird's encounter with the gang a boost to his flailing ego?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Create a character study of Bird. What are his physical characteristics? What are his motivations? What are his fears? What are his dreams? What else can you say about Bird?

Essay Topic 2

Abandonment seems to be almost an unnamed character in the book. How pervasive is the sense of abandonment? Why does it have such a prevalent place in the lives of the characters? Explain how an inanimate object or characteristic can be a character.

Essay Topic 3

Project into the future ten years after the end of the novel and write a brief synopsis for Bird's life. What is his relationship with his son? What is his relationship with his wife? Have his dreams of going to Africa been completely squelched? What is Bird's state of mind? How does Bird feel about himself now?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 966 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample