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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 possession of Howie's is stolen?

2. What is the trademark image on the Onondaga Dairy label?

3. Howie describes all these "disruptions of physical routines" EXCEPT one.

4. What does Howie consider to be a "nice laboratorial word"?

5. Who in Howie's life is allergic to milk?

Short Essay Questions

1. How many of Howie's escalator memories come from his childhood?

2. Why does Howie consider the purchase of a rubber stamp to be one of his advancements?

3. What does Howie mean by "the rule of nostalgia"?

4. What are Howie's thoughts on shopping bags?

5. What does Howie consider to be his sixth major advancement in life?

6. What observations does Howie make about straws while he was at Papa Gino's?

7. Howie does Howie's shoelace break?

8. What thoughts about bread does Howie have while riding the subway?

9. What compelling realization does Howie remember when driving behind a garbage truck when he is thirty?

10. What are Howie's observations about shoes and feet at work?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss both the narrative tone and structure of this story and their impact on the reader's experience.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the paradox of Howie the man-child and the greater truth that existed within that ambiguity.

Essay Topic 3

What is the meaning behind the title of the novel?

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This section contains 764 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample