View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How many packages are left on the cart?

2. In which season was the poem written?

3. Ginsberg talks about his job in relation to which of the following?

4. What are the people waiting for?

5. How does Ginsberg feel about the use of a particular weapon by government?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Ginsberg's comment about immigrants and their treatment in America?

2. What is the main theme of this poem? What is the poet's opinion of the theme?

3. What item catches Ginsberg's eye? Where is it?

4. How should one behave in the giving and receiving of love? Where does this habit originate?

5. What childhood memory of politics does Ginsberg recall? How do those memories affect the present?

6. What path of thought does the item inspire?

7. What is the setting for this poem? When was it written?

8. What is one of the main themes in this poem? To what does Ginsberg compare the flower?

9. What is the poet's feeling about physical passion and the enjoyment of it?

10. What are the setting and characters featured in the poem? What is the main activity?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Ginsberg refers to Carl Solomon's stint in a mental institution. Examine Ginsberg's tales. Do you think they are true or false? Why? Compare and contrast today's institutions with ones commonly found in the 1950s. Discuss different treatments, effectiveness, facilities, etc. Also discuss the common use of shock treatments as a method of curing insanity.

Essay Topic 2

In AN ASPHODEL Ginsberg talks about lust and quenching desire. Were writers discussing this topic 100 years before? Write about the similarities and differences in the poetry of the 1850s versus Ginsberg worked in the 1950s. Do you think that there is a great difference between need and emotional connection between people given the fact that Ginsberg is gay? What are your own experiences with identifying and quelling at various desires - mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical?

Essay Topic 3

In HOWL, Ginsberg talks about sex, drugs, alcohol, etc. as a substitute for something missing in one's life. Examine this theory. Do you agree or disagree? What proof is there to support each side of the argument? What is the basis for addiction? Is there a cure? If so, what is it and how is it administered? What is the "cure" rate for alcoholics and drugs addicts? Is one ever cured?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 651 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample