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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 which of the following towns does section thirty take place?

2. In section thirty-nine, Bukowski says he attended Los Angeles High School during which decade?

3. What item of clothing does the woman take when she leaves Bukowski's place in section nineteen?

4. What is the name of the man at the beginning of section thirty-six?

5. What is the name of the woman at the beginning of section thirty-seven?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does the superior officer in section thirty-six finally order Stirkoff to be taken to the torture chamber?

2. What is the relationship between the two speakers in section twenty, and what evidence suggests it?

3. What goes wrong with the plan to strike it rich in section thirty-three?

4. Describe Bukowski's relationship with Renie in section thirty-seven.

5. Describe how Bukowski earns $50 in section thirty-four.

6. In section twenty-four, describe the relationship between Bukowski and his wife.

7. What happens in section thirty-eight when Bukowski goes home drunk?

8. Describe what happens when Bukowski picks up the young prostitute and her lesbian manager in section twenty-five.

9. What is the letter Bukowski relates in section twenty-six?

10. Describe Bukowski's housing situation in section twenty-three.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is Bukowski's true opinion of women? Pick three of the women from the book with whom he interacts and build a thesis based on his treatment of those three women. Include supporting information from the text.

Essay Topic 2

Is Bukowski simply unlucky with women, or is he purposely unlucky? Develop a thesis arguing whether his repeated relationship failures are pure mishap or if he plans them that way. Include supporting information from the text.

Essay Topic 3

Overall, is Bukowski an optimist or a pessimist? Choose three situational examples from the text and decide whether he responds to each with the glass half-full or half-empty.

(see the answer keys)

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