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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. What state does Bill travel to in this section?

2. Which two characters help Bill to quit drugs?

3. What does Bill begin searching for the moment he arrives in Mexico City?

4. What kind of glossary does Bill present at the end of the book?

5. What does Burroughs present in Appendix 1?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Rollins help Bill make a recovery from drugs and alcohol?

2. What does Bill do after he is released from prison?

3. Summarize the novel.

4. Why do Pat and Bill decide to stop selling drugs?

5. Describe the drug trade in Mexico.

6. Of what does Appendix 3 consist?

7. Why does Bill decide to flee to Mexico?

8. What is yage?

9. In what way do the police treat Bill badly?

10. How does the government help Bill and Old Ike continue their habits?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine Burroughs' writing style. How would you describe Burroughs' prose style? What kind of vocabulary does he use? Does he use any specific writing techniques? What meaning does Burroughs' style give to the story?

Essay Topic 2

The novel is set in New York, New Orleans, Texas and Mexico.

1) What meaning does each setting bring to the novel? What would you automatically presume about a novel that was set in these locations?

2) How different do you think the cities are today to the cities and states in the novel? How do you think the novel's meaning would change if it were set in contemporary society?

3) How do you think settings of the novel contribute the drug theme?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss differences between the novel and autobiography formats. What are the main elements of a novel? What are the main elements of an autobiography? What can novelists express that an autobiographer cannot? How can autobiographies keep to the facts while still maintaining a level of entertainment?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 747 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample