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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. Hank is visited at his house by Herbert Schonberg, Paul Rourke, and a third person. Who is this individual?

2. What does Leo aspire to be?

3. From his meeting with Dickie Pope, what does Hank find out is true?

4. In Chapter 10, Hank plays racquetball with his colleague, Tony Coniglia, and then they walk across campus. Where do they see a television crew?

5. After Hank meets with Dickie Pope, what colleague tells him that he will vote for having Hank recalled as chair of the department if Hank doesn't do as he wishes?

Short Essay Questions

1. After meeting with his colleagues and before Hank leaves his office to go home, Hank looks around his office and reminisces about his stint as interim chair. What is his assessment?

2. When Hank gets home from the staff meeting, who is he greeted by? What does Hank find amusing about Teddy's reaction?

3. What kinds of thoughts does Wheemer generate in Hank?

4. After Hank leaves Bodie Pie's office, what does he notice is happening again?

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

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

7. After seeing Bodie in her office and going to his own office, Hank is on his way out but is stopped by a couple of his colleagues. Who are they and what do they want?

8. After having lunch at the bowling alley, Hank goes to see his mother, but first visits with Mr. Purty. Who is Mr. Purty and what does he give Hank?

9. What did Henry, as his parents called him, really want when he was a child? How did he go about convincing them to fulfill his dream?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the narrative of the Prologue in Book One explain Hank's relationship with his parents? Cite three examples from the Prologue that tells the reader something about the dynamics of the Devereaux family.

Essay Topic 2

Choose two characters in the book that play an important role in Hank's life and discuss their characteristics and the importance of their relationship with Hank. Cite three specific examples for each character from the novel.

Essay Topic 3

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.

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