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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 Arctor accuse Barris of poisoning him with?

2. What does Dan Mancher do for a living?

3. What drug do Barris, Arctor and Luckman take?

4. What does the New-Path reception staff berate Arctor for doing?

5. What does Fabin use to collect the bugs?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Hank tell Fred he should do every few days?

2. What happens if the right hemisphere takes control of someone's brain?

3. Why did Fred become an undercover narcotics agent?

4. What does Fred say that is not part of his prepared text?

5. What do Hank and Fred discuss at their meeting?

6. Why does Barris not trust Arctor?

7. What does Arctor ruminate about the relationship between dealers and narcotics agents?

8. Why does an anonymous caller say he is suspicious of Arctor?

9. What does Arctor accuse Barris of?

10. What problems does Arctor have with his car on the way home?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Look at the structure of the novel.

1) How does Dick use character and dialogue to drive the narrative?

2) Discuss elements of the narrative structure: exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the novel's themes?

3) Aside from the main character, examine the way Dick uses the other characters in the story. When does he introduce and take them away from the story? What effect does it have on the story?

Essay Topic 2

Compare drug research in the 1970s to drug research today. How would the book's depiction of drugs change if Dick wrote it today?

Essay Topic 3

Choose one of the characters in the book and compare him/her to their character in the film A SCANNER DARKLY. What similarities does the character in the film share with its counterpart in the novel? How do the filmmakers update the character for a more modern audience? Why are these changes necessary?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 745 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample