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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. Where/How is Bobby's Mama working when he comes home from University?

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

3. What reality of racial prejudice in the legal system is Blood faced with after his encounter with Melody?

4. What do Runt and Blood immediately begin to do after they arrive in the Chapter 5 setting?

5. For what is Bobby finally thrown out of his university?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are two ways in which the Melody incident is haunting for Blood in Chapter 7?

2. Why does Runt's failure to return after the wire beating prompt Blood to think about calling Mama in Chapter 11?

3. 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?

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

5. How does Party Time protect Bobby in Chapter 2, and why?

6. 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?

7. 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?

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

9. What is the essence of the "cop and blow" scheme in Chapter 10?

10. How does Blood's experience with Pepper instill in him a desire for money?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Slim finally uses his intelligence towards a good and legitimate cause (studying the law so he can obtain his own early release) he is rewarded with an immediate positive feedback loop: he is released from prison early as he requested. How does this positive reinforcement encourage him to continue to employ his talents in positive directions?

Essay Topic 2

In Chapter 21, it is the news of Party Time's demise that finally provides the impetus for Slim to pull his life together and vow to quit drugs and pimping forever. What about this loss of his first street buddy, his first con partner, causes Slim to question every life decision he has made?

Essay Topic 3

Throughout his life, Slim maintains contact with Mama, even going to sit by her deathbed for six months and ultimately forgiving her. Trace the evolution of Slim and Mama's relationship and show how the changes in their relationship are reflected in the concurrent changes in Slim's life, attitude and choices.

(see the answer keys)

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