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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 do the men on the train receive from the train company?

2. What does the landlady's boyfriend give Henry for feeding the chickens?

3. Who is receiving $50 a month from Willie for the rest of her life?

4. What does Henry tell the interviewer is his real job?

5. What is Carson Gentry's job?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What does Henry do in El Paso?

3. Describe Henry Chinaski's character.

4. What does Henry do while drunk with his friend, Tim Hunter?

5. How does Martha upset Henry in the second section?

6. How does Henry lose his job at the dog biscuit factory?

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

8. Summarize the second section.

9. Describe Henry's job in the ladies dress shop.

10. How does Henry anger his parents in the second section?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Bukowski represent alcoholism in his novel? How does Chinaski's habit affect his daily life? What kind of person would Chinaski have been without the alcoholism?

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

Pick two characters from the book and discuss his or her goals and motives. Do they achieve their motives? Do they share similar goals and motives with other characters? Do their goals clash with other characters? How do the characters' goals and motives affect their interaction with each other?

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