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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. Whose long letters does Charlie read while waiting on jury duty?

2. What is the title of Steiner's book of meditative exerciess?

3. Where does Humboldt refuse to go and lecture in 1952?

4. What disease did Charlie suffer from as a boy?

5. Who is Forrest Tomchek?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Pierre Thaxter rush to get into Cantabile's car and forgo buying the fish knives he had set out to purchase?

2. What does the protagonist mean when it is stated that, ". . . after all Broadway adjoins the garment district and blends with it?"

3. When Charlie is being told by Judge Urbanovich that he cannot be allowed to dabble in the middle class and then drop out, how does Charlie react?

4. In what way is Scaccia, the detective, blackmailing Charlie?

5. Humboldt basically dies a failure in society's eyes. What, upon his death, brings him back to prominence?

6. How do Charlie and Renata first get together?

7. What does Charlie think Cantabile's rank and place in the organized crime world is?

8. Which of Charlie's family members does he briefly compare Langobardi to?

9. What does Humboldt believe Kathleen's father did to her to keep her away from Humboldt?

10. How does Charlie come to be blamed for Humboldt's admittance to Bellevue?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Charlie meets Cantabile at the Russian Baths, Cantabile intends to either hurt or humiliate Charlie. At the end of this section, Cantabile takes a different approach with Charlie.

Has Cantabile's need for Charlie's help changed his relationship with him?

What does Cantabile expect from Charlie in terms of a social relationship of any kind?

Should Charlie, in your opinion, acquiesce and help him?

Essay Topic 2

It becomes clear in the story that Renata is a plus for Charlie in many ways. What are Renata's attributes that are especially good for Charlie?

Essay Topic 3

It becomes clear to the reader that Cantabile, after destroying Charlie's car, now wants to be his friend. What are Rinaldo's motives for wanting to befriend Charlie? What will he get out of this relationship? Can this relationship be reciprocated?

(see the answer keys)

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