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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. In what is Steve writing down his story?

2. Where does Kathy O'Brien tell Steve she was born?

3. The opening credits of the movie in Chapter 1 are designed to look like the opening credits of what famous film?

4. In the prologue, Steve is surprised that the prisoners still do what, even though they are strangers?

5. When Steve decides to write a movie, where does he say he learned to block out scenes?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Mr. Nesbitt look like in the pictures the prosecution passes around to the jury?

2. What does James King look like on the first day of the trial?

3. In the prologue, Steve says "they say you get used to being in jail." What is Steve's take on this passage?

4. Why is Steve not hungry on the morning of Monday, July 6?

5. What does Steve say about why he thinks Petrocelli is using Bolden's testimony?

6. Why do prison officials take away prisoners' shoelaces and your belt?

7. What does Steve say in his journal for Tuesday, July 7, that all the other prisoners are always talking about?

8. How does the typeface of Steve's journal entries indicate stress or special meaning on certain words?

9. What is so shocking about Steve's father crying?

10. Why do the charges against Wendell Bolden get dropped?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

This novel features a family where there are two parents, yet somehow Steve still managed to get into trouble. Analyze the roles Steve's parents play in his life, including before, during, and after prison. What characterizes his relationship with his parents? What responsibility do they have for him getting in trouble (if any) and what are the ways in which they tried to help him out of trouble?

Essay Topic 2

Write a detailed essay explaining the long-term effects Steve's experience in prison will have on him, based on the end of the the novel. Be sure to include not only how Steve has changed--and how these changes will affect him--but also how his experience has changed his relationships with his family or friends. You must include examples from at least two of his relationships with other people.

Essay Topic 3

Steve and King are very different people on trial for the same crime. Write an essay comparing and contrasting these two characters. Be sure to include both examples and details of what they look like, who they are, how they behave, etc., as well as an analysis of the strategies Walter Dean Myers employed to achieve these two different characters.

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