View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Howie discuss in his last footnote in Chapter 13?

2. How many bathroom breaks is Howie allotted a day?

3. What else does Howie buy along with his purchase of shoelaces?

4. Howie compares vending machines to _______.

5. Howie compares his urination to a ________.

Short Essay Questions

1. Howie does Howie think his corporation flaunts their status?

2. What does Howie consider to be the dishonesty of the World Dryer Corporation?

3. How does Howie demonstrate that he enjoys thinking about finances?

4. What are the four thoughts that Howie has in quick succession at the end of Chapter 12?

5. What is one of Howie's favorite games to play on the escalator?

6. In what way does Howie consider life to be like footnotes?

7. What causes Howie to consider the intentions of the inventors of the escalator?

8. What does Howie notice as he rushes out the revolving door and onto the plaza for his lunch break?

9. Who does Howie see in the bathroom engaging in what he considers to be poor bathroom etiquette?

10. Why does Howie need to purchase earplugs every week?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the literary impressionism used in the novel and the overall effect it creates.

Essay Topic 2

Do you agree with Howie's premise that conceiving of the important can be accomplished by means of conceiving of the trivial. Is there a deeper profundity to his trivial thoughts?

Essay Topic 3

What is the symbolic significance of both the shoelaces and how Howie resolves the mystery of the shoelace breakage?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 751 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample