View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Americans with names like Parker and Smith:

2. What is Arturo's ultimate humiliation in this chapter?

3. What does Arturo decide to do with the prostitute?

4. For his story, Arturo receives the whopping sum of:

5. On Arturo's wall hangs a picture of:

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the irony of Arturo's attitude toward Mexicans?

2. What makes Arturo finally ask his mother for money?

3. What does Arturo's interaction with Judy Palmer tell us about him?

4. Why does Arturo give Mrs. Hargraves an extra five dollars with his rent payment?

5. Discuss the possible reason that Arturo decided to become a writer, which is couched in this Chapter.

6. Why would a starving writer like Arturo Bandini choose to live in Los Angeles where he is even more anonymous, lonely and desperate?

7. What role does the resident mouse in Arturo's room play in the story?

8. Still in his inflated arrogance over his new publication, Arturo returns to the Columbia Buffet, feigning wealth and importance. What is is motive?

9. What makes Chapter 2 comical, if anything?

10. Why does Arturo portray himself as such a patriotic American?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There is a significant amount of substance abuse in the story. Why does Fante include this element?

1) What characteristic of the characters is represented by their use of substances, i.e., does it indicate weakness, happiness, boredom, etc.

2) Written at a time when marijuana was not so well-known, what is it about marijuana that Fante shows us in this story?

3) Compare Sammy's drinking habits to Camilla's; how are they alike or different?

Essay Topic 2

The character of Sammy is important to Fante's story. Sammy has some things that Arturo craves, and some that Arturo feels superior to.

1) Discuss Sammy's lifestyle in the desert. What does this tell us about him?

2) Discuss Camilla's obsession with Sammy. Why does he reject her?

3) What are the things about Sammy that allow Arturo to stop feeling jealous of him?

Essay Topic 3

Vera Rivken might seem a revolting, sad character, but her role in Arturo's life is large.

1) Discuss Vera's characteristics, and why she would be attracted to Arturo.

2) What did Arturo accomplish with Vera that he had not been able to do otherwise?

3) Discuss Arturo's response to her probable death.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,111 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample