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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. To whom does Allen Ginsberg write from a mental institution in "Howl"?

2. Whose death is "Thou Shalt Not Kill" written in mourning of?

3. What is the name of the character based on Neal Cassady in Go?

4. What word does Michael McClure frequently play with in "Peyote Poem"?

5. Where was Gary Snyder born?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

8. What biographical facts are mixed up in Kerouac's "On the Road"? What details are omitted?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

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 3

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

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