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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 color light drips in "Your Necklace is Leaking" of The Pill versus The Springhill Mine Disaster?

2. What does Brautigan write he wants to shower him with maps in "Map Shower" in The Pill versus The Springhill Mine Disaster?

3. What was the poem "San Francisco" written on in The Pill versus The Springhill Mine Disaster?

4. What does Great Sparrow pull between the children in "Education" from The Pill versus The Springhill Mine Disaster?

5. Where do the old people sit in "A Postcard from Chinatown" in The Pill versus The Springhill Mine Disaster?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where does Brautigan's humor arise in the poem "Haiku Ambulance"? How?

2. What description does Brautigan illustrate in the poem "Poker Star"?

3. What imagery does Brautigan produce in the poem "December 30"?

4. What qualities are outstanding in the poems of Brautigan in terms of imagery?

5. In what poem from The Pill Versus the Springhill Mine Disaster does Brautigan cite "Casablanca"? How?

6. In which poem does Brautigan refer to the Hindenberg Disaster? How?

7. In what poems from The Pill Versus the Springhill Mine Disaster does Brautigan reflect personal thoughts?

8. Describe Brautigan's use of nonsensical, surreal imagery in the poem "Yes, the Fish Music." What is the purpose of the imagery?

9. Describe the simplicity of the poem "November 3." What is Brautigan's subject in this poem?

10. What theme permeates the poem "I Feel Horrible. She Doesn't"? What symbolism supports this theme?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the different ways that the phrase "Trout Fishing in America" is used in the novel. What is metaphorical about Brautigan's use of the phrase?

Essay Topic 2

What literary author is cited in "To England"? What is the subject and theme of this poem?

Essay Topic 3

Describe Richard Brautigan's unique style of narrative in Trout Fishing in America. Define narrative voice and tense in your answer.

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