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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 Chapter 9, what does the author say was once pitted against efficacy?

2. In Chapter 2, where is Claude reassigned?

3. How does Claude's ranking compare with Reynold's ranking in Chapter 2?

4. In Chapter 7, who gets on a the minibus?

5. In Chapter 19, what is one main reason given for the problems of America?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do the characters in Chapter 18 react to Desk Names?

2. Why do people dislike the boy in Chapter 5?

3. In Chapter 10, how does the author explain the existence of the bureaucratic systems he describes?

4. What makes Claude happy in Chapter 2?

5. What makes Chapter 4 different from Chapters 1-3?

6. How is Chapter 9 different from the rest of the chapters in this novel?

7. In the beginning of this novel, how does Claude feel about his job?

8. What is Stecyk's job in Chapter 14?

9. How do the girl and her mother get away in Chapter 8?

10. How could the interview in Chapter 21 be described?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Even though this novel has many characters, what makes David the protagonist of this novel? Compare his role in the novel to definitions of protagonists. How can a protagonist still exist in such a disjointed novel?

Essay Topic 2

Consider the use of nick names and code words in the IRS. What do these terms suggest about the agency? What do they reveal about the IRS employees? How do they influence the setting of the IRS REC?

Essay Topic 3

What role do nameless characters play in this novel? Consider how they affect the plot and the other characters in the novel. How do these nameless characters influence the major themes?

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