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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. Which two salesmen does Williamson say he has to accommodate with the premium leads already?

2. What has Moss never been offered on his sits with Indians?

3. At the very beginning of Scene 2, how does Moss characterize all the leads he is given?

4. Which of the following is not someone that Levene tells Williamson to ask about his ability to get hot?

5. How many premium sits does Levene know Williamson has?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Roma think makes people afraid to act?

2. What reassurance does Roma give Aaronow about talking to the police?

3. According to Moss, what must a man do to go out on his own?

4. Describe Levene's big sale story.

5. How does Roma introduce real estate to the conversation?

6. Why is Roma frantic when he enters the office in Act 2?

7. How is Roma different from the other salesmen in the play?

8. What happened to the last deal Levene closed?

9. What is the status of Moss and Aaronow's discussion at the end of the scene?

10. How does Jerry Graff get started in business on his own?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

David Mamet's work is nearly always concerned with the idea of the scam. His characters are always scheming against other for their own gain, setting up systems that are rigged in their favor. Write an essay about the scams of this play:

Part 1) How is the business of selling this land a lie? Is the business these men engage in connected in any way to the dreams they promise their customers? Cite the interchange between Lingk, Roma, and Levene in Act 2 as evidence.

Part 2) To what extent is the company scamming the salesmen? Is there any way that these men can win in a system like the sales contest?

Part 3) How does Dave Moss scam both the company and his fellow salesmen over the course of the play? How does he keep himself free of risk, and how does his plan work in the end?

Essay Topic 2

Mamet's play essentially pits men against each other who are being constantly compared by forces far above them. Write an essay about this inherent comparison of talent and success:

Part 1) Levene speaks at length about his past glory. How does his fabled past compare with his present? How does his outlook on life change along with his fortunes over the course of the play?

Part 2) How does Dave Moss respond to being pitted against his fellow salesmen? How does his final argument with Roma reflect a deep insecurity regarding his own abilities.

Part 3) To what extent is Aaronow defeated by the system? Cite his interactions with Moss and Roma to determine what his chances of survival are. Is he the type of product intended by this competition?

Essay Topic 3

The robbery is a major driver of plot in the play. Every character is either a part of the plot, affected by it, or both. Write an essay examining the relationship of three characters to the plot. Why do they becomes a part of it? What is their attitude toward its aims? How does their participation in it affect them, and what consequences do they face as a result?

Part 1) Dave Moss

Part 2) George Aaronow

Part 3) Shelly Levene

(see the answer keys)

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