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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. Why does Cokes claim he has been falling down a lot?

2. What is Rooney's nickname for Cokes?

3. What does MOS stand for?

4. Why does Roger tell Carlyle that he got such a nice room in the Army?

5. What is Rooney's (L.B.J.) MOS?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Richie agree with Billy in regard to saying that there is something wrong with Carlyle?

2. Why does Billy believe himself to be a busybody?

3. What does Carlyle mean when talking about "the black man's problem"?

4. Why does Roger try to talk Billy into going into town while leaving Richie out of the conversation?

5. What does "standing tall" mean to the men in the bunk room?

6. Why do Roger and Carlyle laugh at Richie when they leave to go to town?

7. Why does Billy have such a hard time with the sexual relationship that Carlyle and Richie are alluding to happening in the bunk house and not somewhere else?

8. Why does Carlyle call Roger a "Tom"?

9. Why does Carlyle think that he must teach Billy a lesson for throwing a shoe at him?

10. What is symbolic about Cokes saying the the man in the spider hole was "singing it"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What does "ownership" in the military mean to the men (Billy, Roger, Richie, and Carlyle)? What do they own? Does someone "own" them? Why is ownership so important to each character? (Address each character and ownership individually.)

Essay Topic 2

All of the characters have a flaw. Choose a character from the following list and describe their flaw. Use textual evidence to support the decision. Be sure to address the following questions in the essay: What is the character's flaw? Do others recognize the flaw? Do other characters depend on this flaw to use against the owner of the flaw? Does the character recognize their own flaw?

Essay Topic 3

Explain the differences between Roger and Carlyle. Be sure to address their individual standpoints on the Army, homosexuality, race, and friendship.

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