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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. When was Neal Cassady born?

2. When was Gregory Corso born?

3. In what year was Allen Ginsberg born?

4. Herbert Huncke introduced William S. Burroughs to _____________.

5. When was Rotterdam bombed by the Nazis?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Ginsberg's subject in "A Supermarket in America"?

2. What political allusions are used in "One Thousand Fearful Words for Fidel Castro"?

3. Who is Kenneth Rexroth? What is his contribution in the anthology?

4. What religious allusion is used in the poem "Thou Shalt Not Kill"?

5. Describe William S. Burroughs' excerpt from "Junky." What is significant about this subject?

6. Describe William S. Burroughs' style in "Naked Lunch."

7. What repetition is used in the "Peyote Poem"? Why?

8. Describe the symbolism in "On the Road" as it relates to the theme of American values. What is an example of Kerouac's metaphor of America?

9. What does Kerouac's letter to Neal Cassady reveal about their friendship?

10. Describe Huncke's depictions of sexuality in his work.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the singer/songwriter Bob Dylan and his works in the anthology. What influences of the Beat Generation can be seen in Dylan's writing?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the style of Jack Kerouac. What makes Kerouac's work stand out among the other Beat writers? Discuss Kerouac's approach to narrative.

Essay Topic 3

Describe the poet Michael McClure. What are his contributions to the Beat Generation? In what works has he been immortalized?

(see the answer keys)

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