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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. When was Jack Gantos born?

2. From what institution did Jack Gantos earn his BFA and his MA?

3. What item was Gantos unable to take with him when he left prison?

4. Who was repeatedly raped on the first night of Gantos's imprisonment in Section 3, Chapter 3?

5. When Gantos received his minimum security custody rating, who offered to take him on furlough in Section 3, Chapter 7?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did Gantos not return for the hash he had hidden? How does he describe this temptation in Section 3, Chapter 8?

2. How did Gantos feel after his father and brother visited him inebriated in Section 3, Chapter 6?

3. How does Gantos describe his worsening acne problem in Section 3, Chapter 2?

4. How is Gantos's first night in the holding station described in Section 3, Chapter 3? Where did he sleep?

5. What position did Gantos secure in the hospital after he was cleared of lice?

6. What did Gantos learn from his family in Section 3, Chapter 1? What actions did he take at his father's advice?

7. Describe the meeting with the first buyer in Section 2, Chapter 4. What were Gantos's fears and how did he act on them?

8. Where did Gantos and Hamilton go upon arriving in New York in Section 2, Chapter 4? How did Gantos feel about the situation?

9. How does Gantos describe the drug scene in prison in Section 3, Chapter 5? Why did he choose not to use drugs?

10. What was Gantos's trip to New York like in Section 3, Chapter 1? What information did he learn?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the beat writer movement, Jack Kerouac and On the Road. When did the beats gain fame and what influence did they have on Jack Gantos? How did On the Road have an impact on Gantos? Where did he hope to travel based on the book?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss and analyze the figure of Hamilton in the narrative. Where was Hamilton from? What was his full name? How experienced was Hamilton with smuggling? How experienced was he working with sailboats? How did Hamilton react to Jack's inexperience?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the author's methods of approaching writing through journals. Jack Gantos developed a journal with four sections in Section 1, Chapter 3. What were each of the sections? Why did Gantos choose to divide his writing into such divisions?

(see the answer keys)

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