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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. At the end of the poem Ginsberg laments ___________.

2. What spiritual leader is mentioned in the poem?

3. What word is used to describe the racks?

4. Ginsberg sees the racks as being created to keep what together?

5. What is one of the main complaints about the job?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How does the poem end? What is the inference of things to come?

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

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

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

6. Where does Ginsberg work in this poem? What is his position? What are people waiting for?

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

8. What is one of the main things that Ginsberg opposes during this time?

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

10. What is the child's condition and outlook upon his surroundings?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Ginsberg discusses the mechanics of industry in the 1950s. How did the Industrial Revolution effect the environment compared to previous ways of manufacture? What might the environment be like 50 years from now? 100 years from now? Create a short list of modern advancements in industrial procedures. Explain their purpose and use. How will these advancements incur change? Will the change be for better or for worse?

Essay Topic 2

One of the poems included in the work is titled SUNFLOWER SUTRA. What is a Sutra? Study all forms used by Ginsberg. It which is the most popular? Why? How many poems included in this work could be considered Sutras? What are common themes? How does Ginsberg incorporate imagery and juxtaposition in his work as he did in SUNFLOWER SUTRA? What is the purpose? Does it make the work better? Explain. What other poet is similar?

Essay Topic 3

IN THE BAGGAGE ROOM AT GREYHOUND discusses Ginsberg's views about what goes on in a bus station. Explain the purpose of using this particular location. What does Ginsberg see? What is unusual about the people? Describe the interaction between Ginsberg and the workers and passengers. What do the workers represent? What can one learn from performing such observations? Take a similar personal experience and compare and contrast it with Ginsberg's experience at Greyhound.

(see the answer keys)

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