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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 did the Six Gallery reading take place?

2. Who is Jack Kerouac known as in On the Road?

3. When did Neal Cassady move to New York and meet Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac?

4. When was Rotterdam bombed by the Nazis?

5. Where was Gary Snyder born?

Short Essay Questions

1. 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?

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

3. Describe the exposition from the beginning excerpt of "On the Road." Who are the characters introduced?

4. Who is John Clellon Holmes, and what is his impact on the Beat Generation?

5. What is the theme of the poem "Kaddish"?

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

7. Who is Micheal McClure? Describe his "Peyote Poem."

8. What do Cassady's letters to Kerouac reveal about him?

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

10. Who is Neal Cassady? How is he introduced in the text?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the works of Allen Ginsberg. What is his most famous work? What stylistic devices does Ginsberg employ? Use examples in your answer.

Essay Topic 2

What is the New York School of Poetry? When did it originate? Who were the key members? How does it relate to the Beat Generation?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss and describe the world events which directly or indirectly instigated the Beat Generation. How do the members of the Beat Generation view mainstream society? Why?

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