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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. Sherman McCoy privately refers to the overly thin women of these Park Avenue functions as "Social (blank)."

2. What two words do Reverend Bacon's protest signs juxtapose on the television?

3. What is Sherman's demeanor when he arrives at Pierce and Pierce in Chapter 11?

4. Which of the following is not a letter that Henry Lamb says could be a the second letter of the Mercedes' license plate?

5. What prominent power-player is arriving at the soiree just ahead of the McCoys?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Reverend Bacon.

2. Why is the Herbert 92X trial becoming overblown at the Bronx courthouse?

3. Describe the speech Lord Buffing makes.

4. Who is Roland Auburn?

5. After hearing Sherman's story, what is Freddy's concern?

6. How does Kramer's attempt to impress his liberal friends in Chapter 10 backfire?

7. In Chapter 13, what are Sherman's thoughts about telling Judy the truth?

8. Describe the protest in Chapter 13.

9. What do Maria and Sherman ultimately decide to do regarding the Bronx car incident?

10. What does Sherman realize about Maria during their conversation in Chapter 11?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

As life becomes more complicated and precarious for Sherman McCoy, fewer and fewer supportive people in his life offer him assistance. This is a shame, because those who are not connected to the case are the most sensible and honest around him, his family. Write an essay about the three truth-tellers in his family. How does Sherman lose each of them? How do each of them serve in some way as his conscience?

Part 1) Judy McCoy

Part 2) Sherman's Father

Part 3) Campbell McCoy

Essay Topic 2

Sherman McCoy, at the beginning of the novel, considers himself a "Master of the Universe." Write an essay about what that means in his life. How does it affect his attitude toward family? Fidelity? His work? What is Tom Wolfe saying about the nature of capitalism in the 1980s through the character of Sherman McCoy?

Essay Topic 3

Bonfire of the Vanities can be viewed as a modern morality tale in which a man without a soul - Sherman McCoy - is given one by a process of attrition. All the earthly pleasures he enjoys are stripped from him until he is rendered a man. Write an essay about Sherman McCoy's redemption:

Part 1) Analyze Sherman McCoy's processing the day he turns himself in. What does he lose and what does he experience? What is his reaction the the proceedings?

Part 2) How does Sherman McCoy's kicking Pollard Browning out of his condo reflect a shift in his personality? What has changed?

Part 3) Describe the Sherman McCoy described in the Epilogue. How is this Sherman different from the Sherman we meet at the beginning of the novel?

(see the answer keys)

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