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. When did Herbert Huncke meet William S. Burroughs?

2. Where did the Six Gallery reading take place?

3. When was Gregory Corso born?

4. Where did Allen Ginsberg grow up?

5. Where is the city of Rotterdam, cited in Corso's "Vision of Rotterdam"?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Describe John Clellon Holmes' writing style. How does it compare with Kerouac's?

3. What political references are made in the poem "America"?

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

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

6. What does Ann Charters write about Carl Solomon in his biographical information? What is his work about?

7. What are some examples of religious allusion in "Howl"? What do they represent?

8. What are Herbert Huncke's contributions in the anthology? On what subjects does he focus?

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

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 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?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the importance of the novel Go and John Clellon Holmes' impact on the Beat Generation. What was the response of the Beats upon Go's publication?

Essay Topic 3

What was the San Francisco Renaissance? When did it take place? What was the Gallery Six reading about?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 802 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample