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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 is the name of the cliff top restaurant the group goes to in Chapter 21?

2. Where does the narrator tell Billie she should go in Chapter 35?

3. What kind of fish has Dave caught in Chapter 36?

4. Who does Cody remind the narrator of?

5. At what time do the narrator and his friends arrive at Cody's in Chapter 33?

Short Essay Questions

1. What spiritual or religious imagery is presented in Chapter 36 in relation to Jack's state of mind?

2. How does Jack describe the inner world of his alcohol-laced madness in Chapter 21?

3. What events trigger Jack's agitation in Chapter 21?

4. Where does Perry take Jack in Chapter 28? What is his experience there?

5. What is Jack awaiting in Chapter 31? What takes place in the conversation between Jack and Billie here?

6. What does Jack do once Billie has left for work in Chapter 27? Who does he meet?

7. What leads Jack to go for Cody's suggestion in Chapter 24?

8. What does Cody propose to Jack in Chapter 24 regarding Willamine?

9. What does Jack reveal through exposition regarding Cody and Evelyn in Chapter 23?

10. What childhood memory returns to Jack in Chapter 22?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the defining elements of Kerouac's style. How does he approach grammatical rules? In what time frame did he complete his works?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss and describe the religious and spiritual allusions in Big Sur. What religions and philosophies does the author refer to and in what context?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of "faded glory" in Big Sur. How does this apply to the protagonist? What comparisons does the author use to express the theme?

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