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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 Humboldt and Kathleen visit Charlie after Humboldt had just given a reading at Yale, what does Kathleen intimate to Charlie she plans to do?

2. Which Presidential election outcome was a personal disaster to Humboldt?

3. When Cantabile approaches Thaxter and Charlie, what does he want Charlie to do?

4. What does Charlie want to do when Scaccia demands money from him on behalf of Humboldt?

5. How is Denise's attitude changed when she leaves the judge's chambers?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Canabile seem to want from Charlie other than help for his wife?

2. Humboldt cashes in Charlie's "blood-brother" check. How is this done at a very bad time in Charlie's life?

3. Why does George dislike Dick Durnwald?

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

5. 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?

6. How is Humboldt acting towards Kathleen after he loses the poetry chair at Princeton?

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

8. How does Humboldt end up getting over six thousand dollars from Charlie after Charlie has a successful Broadway show?

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

10. What is the difference between Charlie's ex-wife, Denise, and his new girlfriend, Renata?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Consider Humboldt's Treatment that he left to Charlie.

1) What, if anything, might Charlie learn about himself from this story?

2) Why would Charlie think Humboldt wrote this story for him? Is it about the money?

Essay Topic 3

Charlie feels he must leave New York and forgo travel to Europe because his brother, Julius, is about to undergo open-heart surgery in Texas. Renata bases her refusal to accompany Charlie to Texas on the notion that she would appear as a gold-digging bimbo if she went in any role but wife.

Why is Charlie reluctant to see Renata go off to Milan on her own? What does he fear will happen?

Even though Charlie may love Renata for many reasons beyond the shallow ones, he is clearly not ready to make the matrimonial commitment. Why not?

Can Charlie have his cake with Renata and eat it too? Does he even want to?

(see the answer keys)

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