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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 does Uncle Karl keep in the empty cigar box?

2. What does the narrator say is a symptom of nervous tension?

3. What do the children decide to do instead of enter the funhouse?

4. Many of what kind of machines are out of order in the penny arcade?

5. For what does Ambrose think there should be a button?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Ambrose feel about Magda and what is he afraid to do about it?

2. What church does Ambrose’s family belong to, and why is Ambrose different from most other children in the church? Why did it happen?

3. Why does Magda win the traditional game in the car, and what does Ambrose’s mother say about her win?

4. What does the narrator say is the best thing to do when one is lost, and what is the drawback to that action?

5. What does Magda ask Ambrose about concerning his foot, and what is his reply?

6. Why does the family stay out of the ocean, and what do they do instead of swimming in the ocean?

7. What does Magda win during 'Looking for the Towers', and what does she do with her prize?

8. What gives Ambrose hope that he will find the exit to the Funhouse?

9. How does Magda react to Ambrose taking her arm, and what does he want to tell her?

10. Why are the prizes different on the broken machines at the arcade?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Humor and jokes are imbedded throughout the text of Lost in the Funhouse. Discuss how Barth uses humor to offset the depression and loneliness that actually pervades Ambrose’s thoughts. Use examples from the text to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Ambrose declares that a person thinks he is himself but there are other people within everyone. Discuss what you think Ambrose means by this statement. Do you agree with him? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Often, authors will write about what they know, and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the story more interesting. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of John Barth. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her short stories? Why or why not? Give examples. Name one idea/concept you think may have been a part of the Barth's agenda. Analyze that idea throughout the short story and discuss Barth's probable agenda concerning that idea.

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