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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. Who is young Bobby's first sexual encounter?.

2. What is Chris's former profession?

3. Party Time gets busted for the con he runs with Bobby, but Bobby doesn't go to jail with him. Why not?

4. Who identifies Poison for Blood?

5. What happens to Oscar while in Reformatory?

Short Essay Questions

1. Another good name for Chapter 2 might be "Down a Dark Alley." What are three ways in which this name would be appropriate?

2. Why does Bobby/Slim say that from a pimp's perspective, looking back, Steve was an idiot and played the game with Mama all wrong?

3. At the end of Chapter 4, Runt and Blood leave Milwaukee and go to Chicago to begin their new lives as pimp and prostitute together. Before he leaves though, Blood goes by Mama's house to tell her where he's going. How does this reflect his ambivalence towards his mother?

4. How does it speak to Blood's salesmanship that he is able to score Runt as his own working girl after such a short period of time?

5. How does Blood show his courage and psychological insight in his dealings with Sweet Jones in Chapter 6?

6. In Chapter 4, what might be described as the final exam for graduation to full pimp status for Blood?

7. Why do Blood and Sweet Jones never discuss their differing opinions on white society?

8. Does it seem somewhat perverse that Blood whips Runt with a wire and then gets depressed when she leaves and doesn't come back by her usual time in Chapter 11? What does this say about the nature of an abusive relationship?

9. In Chapter 4, in spite of his quick score with Runt, what is Blood constantly reminding himself and why?

10. How does the IQ test Blood receives from his parole officer change his life in Chapter 3?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Common reviews and/or criticisms of the book "Pimp: The Story of My Life" include:

It is actually categorized as a work of fiction.

It has poor character development, particularly of the female characters.

The slang is outdated and nearly unreadable.

The lurid detail is more self-serving than explicative.

The plot movement is slow.

It is an unapologetic and graphically real look at the lifestyle it attempts to portray.

The writing style is inspired and gripping.

Slim truly tells it like it is.

React to some of these statements and craft your own thoughtful and well-reasoned review of this book (attempt to use your knowledge of literary standards as opposed to visceral reaction).

Essay Topic 2

Describe and comment on the irony in the fact that when Slim is released from Leavenworth, he has lost everything and everyone in his life except Mama, the person who, in his mind, drove him into the life he now leads.

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast Steve and Slim's biological fathers. How are their influences on Slim's life and choices similar or different? Both will turn up again in Slim's life; how are those encounters different? How does Slim react to each encounter and how does he feel afterward?

(see the answer keys)

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