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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who compares the American cowboy to the samurai?
(a) Ellen Cherry Charles.
(b) Can o' Beans.
(c) Boomer Petway.
(d) Dirty Sock.

2. Where is the first place Ellen Cherry goes after she leaves art school?
(a) New Mexico.
(b) Boomer's house.
(c) Her parents' house.
(d) Cincinnati.

3. What do Conch Shell and Painted Stick maintain that King Solomon is not?
(a) Rich.
(b) Humble.
(c) Good.
(d) Wise.

4. What does the barkeep say his sister sees after having a couple of drinks during the day?
(a) A stick, a fork or spoon, and a sock walking down the road.
(b) A stick and a Conch Shell jumping in the trunk of her car.
(c) A can of beans and spoon looking in her window.
(d) A stick, a fork or spoon, and can of beans carrying a sock.

5. What does Ellen Cherry want to paint after she finishes painting mountains?
(a) A farm.
(b) A neon fox tongue licking up the powdered dust of angel bones.
(c) The firey resudue of blasted unicorn hooves in a volcano.
(d) Grotesque sinews of a bull carcase.

Short Answer Questions

1. What do Painted Stick and Conch shell reveal that Jezebel actually is?

2. What is Spike Cohen's fetish?

3. What does Painted Stick say he is used for?

4. Why does Can 'o Beans want to be left behind on the way to New York?

5. What does Boomer look for that he then realizes he and Ellen Cherry leave in the cave?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the the origins of Spike Cohen's foot fetish?

2. Describe the sculpture that Boomer is bringing to Jerusalem to reassemble.

3. What do you think is significant about the fact that Boomer and Ellen Cherry wake up Painted Stick and Conch Shell?

4. Describe Ellen Cherry's eye game.

5. The fifth veil has to do with removing the illusion of the value of money. Is money's value really an illusion? Explain why or why not.

6. Do you see any irony in Salome's determination only to do the Dance of the Seven Veils if she can have John the Baptist's head on a platter? Why or why not?

7. What do we learn about Boomer Petway in the first few sections of the novel?

8. Describe Ellen Cherry and Boomer's relationship since he's become an well-known artist.

9. Describe why Boomer says he feels guilty about his success as an artist.

10. What are some ways you can interpret Boomer's spy coat sculpture in which he declares his love for Ellen Cherry in a 500 different encoded messages?

(see the answer keys)

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