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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. How does Hank respond to Bodie's advice?

2. What does Hank suggest to his daughter that they do about her situation?

3. Why is Hank's colleague Teddy driving him home after a staff meeting in Chapter 1?

4. What is Hank's wife's name?

5. What did the dog do soon after it arrived at Hank's?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is driving Hank home and what do they pass on their way? Where does Hank live?

2. Who does Hank meet at the local bowling alley for lunch? What do they talk about?

3. Where is the second place Hank goes to the night of his television report? What happens there? What does Hank end up doing?

4. What does Hank say in the Prologue about his father's life after the arrival of the dog? What does he say about his relationship with his father?

5. The morning after his news debut, Hank realizes the film has been shown on Good Morning, America, much to everyone's amusement. Hank heads to see Campbell Wheemer. What is Hank's nickname for Wheemer? Why does he call him that? How is Wheemer a contrast to Hank?

6. What is near the construction site that catches Hank's attention? What does he do?

7. What is the narrator, Hank's, full name and what is his occupation? Where does he work?

8. When Hank finally gets home, what is his daughter doing? What message does he find on his answering machine?

9. When Hank gets back to his office, after meeting with Bodie, what does he tell his secretary? What does Rachel tell him and what does Hank do about this?

10. After visiting with Mr. Purty and then his mother, Hank plays racquetball with another professor, Tony Coniglia. What happens after their game?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Dialogue often serves to reveal characters and their traits, as well as events. It is often used as an alternative to exposition. How is dialogue used as a literary technique to move a narrative along, and specifically how is it utilized in Straight Man? Cite, in detail, one example of how dialogue is used effectively in the novel.

Essay Topic 2

The setting refers to the time and the place where a story takes place. Compare and contrast the settings of "Straight Man" regarding time. How does it compare to the childhood he describes in the Epilogue to Book One? Cite at least three examples from the book where Russo discusses how the setting, in reference to time, has changed.

Essay Topic 3

Define what is meant by "style" in writing. Discuss what kind of style is used traditional nonfiction, novels, and creative nonfiction. Which style was used in the writing of "Straight Man"? Support your answer with four examples.

(see the answer keys)

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