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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. In Thompson's account of the airplane arrangements, how do several people view being forced onto the Dakota Queen II?

2. What does Thompson allude to having happened with the female reporter who indulged in both marijuana and alcohol?

3. How does Thompson describe politicians who decide to become self-aware about the theatricality of their work?

4. Who is Ron Ziegler?

5. In the author's discussion of the ethos of American politics, what is perception?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Thompson describe the varying roles of and attitudes toward professional speech writers?

2. What are Thompson's feelings about Nixon?

3. In what ways is Thompson introducing new readers to the world of politics?

4. How is Thompson's honesty a trademark of his writing?

5. In "November Concluded," what stories did Thompson tell about one of the female journalists?

6. How does Thompson describe the passengers of Dakota Queen II?

7. How did passengers on the Zoo plane keep the politicians from boarding?

8. Describe the confrontation between Mankiewicz and Thompson.

9. Why is Thompson the "rock-n-roll emissary" for politics?

10. Why does the book turn into a series of dialogues and monologues after Chapter 11?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In what ways are Hunter S. Thompson's encounters throughout this book indicative of the class struggles in America in 1972? How is Thompson regarded in terms of class? How does this affect his writing? In what ways are these class struggles particularly apparent in the meet-and-greets with different constituents?

Essay Topic 2

According to Thompson, why is the Chinese symbolism of Yin/Yang important to the 1972 election? How does he define "yin?" How does he define "yang?" How does he apply these concepts to McGovern and Nixon? In what ways does Thompson note that this is part of the pendulum swing in American politics? How is the public support of Nixon indicative of McGovern's policies in 1972?

Essay Topic 3

How does Hunter S. Thompson feel about politicians? How do politicians generally feel about Thompson? In what way is Thompson's outsider status as a writer for the counter-culture immediately setting him up as an adversary to all politicians? How does this affect his relationship to the Muskie campaign, as well as the McGovern campaign? Why does Frank Mankiewicz attack Thompson? How does all of this figure into Thompson's later declaration that he is going to run for the Senate?

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