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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 machine did Hamper operate in the Cab Shop?

2. Why did the supervisors add another task to Hamper and Dale's job?

3. When a would-be employee arrived late and was rejected, what did he do?

4. What was the routine when Joanie visited Hamper's house?

5. When Hamper moved into his mother's basement, what did he think would save his marriage to Joanie?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Hamper's stories about high school revolve around? How does this show that he was giving in to the nuns' perception of him that began in junior high?

2. What religious background did Hamper have during his childhood? How did religion shape his move into adulthood?

3. How is Hamper's portrayal of his mother pathetic at times? Is it a fair character description?

4. Why is Hamper's description of Flint, Michigan, at the beginning of Chapter 2, a powerful one?

5. How did Hamper's stories about life after high school reveal the time period in which they were written? What clues did he give by telling how much things cost?

6. At the end of Chapter 4, Hamper reveals his place in the present time and lets the reader know that the events took place some nine years before he wrote about them. What effect does this have on the reader's perception of the book?

7. What stories does Hamper tell about Dan-O? What do these stories add to the reader's impression of the factory?

8. What is Hamper's first exposure to the true culture of the Cab Shop? How did this dramatically change his attitude toward work?

9. What story does Hamper tell involving Lesley Gore's music? How does this story show that Hamper, if only for an hour and twelve minutes, transcended the shop-rat mindset?

10. When did the GM assembly line begin to look like an attractive option to Hamper? How did this demonstrate a change in Hamper's thinking?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"My old man abhorred the truth. It was like some horrible, foreign diction that ripped at his core" (pg 4). What truth is Hamper referring to? As demonstrated by his own life, what was his reaction to the same truth?

Essay Topic 2

"Layin' back is a fine reward when you're employed. However, layin' back tends to wear thin when it itself becomes your job. Gettin' loaded, readin' magazines, staring at the television becomes a rut rather than any form of relaxation" (pg 83). How is this true? What part did unemployment play in Hamper's life? How did it change his opinion about working?

Essay Topic 3

As seen in several examples throughout the book, how did General Motors treat their employees? How did Hamper's stories shed an honest light on the company?

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