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 Danforth allow Bagley to do to him while in the car?

2. When he is interrogated about his column in Joe and Cherry's newspaper, what other charge is brought to Bukowski's attention?

3. What news does Bukowski receive at the end of "The Most Beautiful Woman in Town?"

4. When Bukowski closes the folding bed into the wall in "3 Chickens," what injury does Vicki sustain?

5. What percentage does a track take on every dollar bet, according to Bukowski's horse-wagering explanations?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "Another Horse Story," how does Bukowski reconcile his anger at being parodied in the magazine?

2. Describe Borst and his living situation.

3. Describe Bukowski's relationship with Vicki.

4. What are Bukowski's feelings about the women at the race track in "Non-Horseshit Horse Advice; and Another Horse Story?"

5. Describe Bukowski's experiences in delivering papers.

6. What are the "3 Chickens" and what purpose do they serve in this story?

7. How does Henry survive after killing Sarah with a hat pin?

8. How does Danforth take advantage of Bagley after the latter is run through the machine in their office?

9. Describe operations at Joe and Cherry's newspaper.

10. Why do Sanchez and Kaakaa take Bukowski in during "Ten Jack-offs?"

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In what ways do many of these stories deal a person's tendency towards self-destruction? How does Bukowski cast himself in many of these roles (in particular, in "25 Bums in Rags")? What are some of the common traits of those who cannot keep their lives together? How are characters such as Cass, Vicky, and Jeff similar in this regard? How is this connected with suicide? What does this suggest about Bukowski's thoughts on his own self-destruction?

Essay Topic 2

Why does Bukowski write primarily about people who live on the outskirts of society? What does this suggest about his personal relationship to society? How is this reflected in stories such as "All the Great Writers" and "The Birth, Life, and Death of an Underground Newspaper?" What are some ways that Bukowski allows his writing to infuse poetry into places and people from whom it might not be ordinarily expected? How is this a reflection upon not only Bukowski's skills, but his views on society?

Essay Topic 3

In what ways does Bukowski connect homosexuality with success? What is significant about his respect for the people who are openly homosexual? Despite this, what is Bukowski's own relationship with homosexuality? Why does it seem to make him uncomfortable? Consider how this is reflected in the following stories: "The Gut-Wringing Machine," "The Day We Talked About James Thurber," and "The Murder of Ramon Vasquez."

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,319 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample