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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 Billy Boy hire Henry to wash?

2. What does Laura say Willie throws at them when they get drunk?

3. What does Henry's father ask from Henry?

4. What is the blond woman's name?

5. Where does Henry promise to take Gertrude?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does a relationship develop between Henry and Gertrude?

2. Describe Henry's first two days in New York.

3. Describe Henry Chinaski's character.

4. How do Henry's friends help him in the third section?

5. What does Carson Gentry make Henry understand about life in the fourth section?

6. What is Henry's opinion of New York?

7. Summarize the second section.

8. What does Henry think of New York when he first arrives?

9. What is Willie's relationship with the three girls?

10. What does Henry promise himself in the fourth section?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Bukoski represent sex? How did people in the 70s perceive Bukowski's representations of sex? How do people today perceive Bukowski's representations of sex?

Essay Topic 2

What is the American dream? What does FACTOTUM say about the American dream? What is Bukowski's opinion of the American dream?

Essay Topic 3

What are the main turning points of the book? How does Bukowski develop his story to get to each turning point? What happens to the story after a major turning point?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 639 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample