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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. The man with the pistol uses what adjective to describe the teller he instructs to fill her bag?

2. The man with the shotgun fastens the guard's hands together using what method?

3. What is Anders's profession in the story "Bullet in the Brain"?

4. The man with the pistol calls Anders what kind of "boy" (14)?

5. Against what part of Anders's body does the man with the pistol press his gun?

Short Essay Questions

1. Contrast Anders's reaction to the bank robbery with the reaction of the woman in front of Anders in line.

2. How does Anders invoke the idea of justice within the scene of the robbery?

3. What two-word name does the man with the pistol call Anders?

4. Describe the first physical contact one of the robbers makes with Anders.

5. At what time of day does the story take place?

6. Describe the man with the sawed-off shotgun.

7. Name the violent actions taken by the man with the sawed-off shotgun.

8. What is the main conflict at the center of the story and who is involved in that conflict?

9. What evidence points to the conclusion that Wolff wants the reader to view Anders's actions as selfish?

10. How does the theme of social status or class come into play within the story?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Look carefully at Anders’s language use throughout the story. What is Wolff’s purpose for shaping Anders’s voice in the way that he does? For example, why does Wolff choose to have Anders make an allusion to an Ernest Hemingway story as he is remarking on the robbers’ use of language?

Essay Topic 2

William Faulkner once famously claimed that the most important literature deals with the subject of the human heart in conflict with itself. Explain how the theme of Human versus Self is demonstrated within Wolff’s story “Bullet in the Brain.” Create a decisive, arguable claim and prove it with quotes from the story.

Essay Topic 3

Analyze the various characterization methods Wolff uses to create characters such as Anders, the man with the pistol, and even Anders’s estranged daughter. How does Wolff’s use of characterization support themes and messages contained within the story?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 965 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample