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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 Chapter 23 starts, Elaine is looking for a job. How many people does she know with a job?

2. What celebrity joins the rally at Rockefeller Center on the 25th anniversary of the Rockefeller drug laws?

3. How many nights did Elaine spend in jail before her court hearing?

4. What sent Jamel to prison a second time in Chapter 14?

5. What bad news does Lora receive in Chapter 15?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Lora Tucker.

2. Describe Elaine's cell at Bedford Hills Prison from Chapter Eight.

3. What is Danae like?

4. What are the O'Connors of Katonah like?

5. Elaine searches Apartment 13B for signs of her mother. What does she find?

6. What is the result of Judge Clyne's eleven years on the bench?

7. What is Elaine's attitude toward men in Chapter 28 and is it working for her?

8. Why does the chart at the police department have Elaine two inches taller than she really is?

9. What are Elaine's options for time served in Part 1?

10. What is the purpose of South Forty?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Elaine is strongly focused on being a mother, both in and out of prison. It is part of her identity. When she is released, there are times she is faced with guilt over not being there as a mother to her children. If Elaine had not gone to prison, how do you think things would have been different for her children? Which child is most affected by Elaine's long imprisonment?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the "War on Drugs" as evidenced by laws like the Rockefeller drug laws. Why are drugs a problem in American society? Do strong drug laws deter offenders? Does the punishment fit the crime? Support your answers with statistics from today's drugs and drug laws. Make a recommendation on what you think the best solution to the problem is. Be sure to support your argument.

Essay Topic 3

"Life on the Outside" is an example of narrative nonfiction in that it's a true story that reads like fiction. While the story is about Elaine Bartlett, it is not her voice recounting the story. In reality, author Jennifer Gonnerman is part of the story. What is her role and goal in the telling of this book? Do you ever feel her advising or judging Elaine? Is she ever a part of the story? Do you find any evidence of her "voice?"

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