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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. In Purple as an Iris, who discovers Bukowski and the woman?

2. What does Bukowski say about acid and the item in conjunction with it?

3. How does Bukowski feel about the situation in poetry in Eyes Like the Sky?

4. Why does Bukowski hate the woman who has entered the shop in A Rain of Women?

5. Where had Bukowski planned on going after the mechanic?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Bukowski usually avoid talking about literature, and what reminds him of of this in Beer and Poets and Talk?

2. Describe the woman in One for Walter Lowenfels.

3. What does the first woman in A Rain of Women remind Bukowski of?

4. What else does Bukowski realize about himself when he sees Luke in I Shot a Man in Reno?

5. How do the older men contrast with the younger ones in The Big Pot Game?

6. How do the boys disrespect the memories of the hepcats in The Big Pot Game?

7. Why does Bukowski welcome death in A Popular Man?

8. How does Bukowski feel next to Jim in I Shot a Man in Reno?

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

10. What does Bukowski think of current poets and comic strips in Eyes Like the Sky?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In "I Shot a Man in Reno," runs into several people that cause him to be very self-critical. Why is Bukowski so self-critical? How do his own ideas of himself contrast with the ideas others have of him? Make sure you answer each question with evidence and support from the story.

Essay Topic 2

"Reunion" and "Cunt and Kant and a Happy Home" both contain characters with an addiction--one has an addiction to alcohol, while the other has a gambling addiction. How do each characters' addiction affect their life? Does it affect anyone around them, and if so, how? Describe the cycle of addiction as seen in the stories. Make sure you answer each question with evidence and support from the stories.

Essay Topic 3

One recurring theme in Tales of Ordinary Men is balance between life and literature. Describe Bukowski's ideas on life and literature from at least two stories from the collection. Which is more important to him, and why? Make sure you answer each question with evidence and support from the stories.

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