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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 does Bukowski's final visitor give him?

2. What happens when the men and women's wards mix in Purple as an Iris?

3. What does Bukowski discover in A Bad Trip?

4. What does Bukowski wonder about himself in Notes on a Pest?

5. What does Bukowski do with his phone in Notes on a Pest?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens at the end of the Flower Horse?

2. What does Bukowski think of citizens today in A Bad Trip?

3. Why does Bukowski cry after burning the blanket in The Blanket?

4. What does a pest do, according to Bukowski in Notes on the Pest?

5. What does Tina represent in One for Walter Lowenfels?

6. Why does Bukowski not go to the race track as planned in A Rain of Women?

7. How does Bukowski's obsession with death and sex show up in Notes of a Potential Suicide?

8. What is different about Beer and Poets and Talk than the other short stories in Tales of Ordinary Madness?

9. What is ironic about Bukowski's observations in A Bad Trip?

10. What happens when Bukowski is discovered with Mary in Purple as an Iris?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"Notes on the Pest" focuses mainly on Bukowski's fans and his relationship with them. How would you describe his relationship with his fans, and how do you think his fans would describe it? You may use examples or evidence from other stories that describe his relationship with his fans.

Essay Topic 2

Symbolism can be found throughout Tales of Ordinary Madness. Choose two different stories to describe symbols from. What do those symbols you chose represent? How do they contrast in comparison to their surroundings? Make sure you answer each question with evidence and support from the stories.

Essay Topic 3

Many different ideas and themes are connected in Tales of Ordinary Madness, but "Notes of a Potential Suicide" reveals connections that are more obvious. What connections are revealed in the story? How is the symphony connected to the Air Show event? What makes them memorable or important for Bukowski? Make sure you answer each question with evidence and support from the story.

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