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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. Why did Gunnar get in trouble sometimes at the beach?

2. With whom are Gunnar and Nick's drama team competing in a tournament?

3. What did Swen want to do for a living?

4. What does Franz do for the rest of his life?

5. What kind of summer camp does Gunnar's mother want them to go to?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where does Gunnar's father work, what does he do and what does Gunnar notice when he visits his father at work?

2. Who is Eileen Litmus, for what is she known at school and how does she affect Gunnar's life at school?

3. What does Gunnar recall about living in Santa Monica in Chapter 2 and why does he join the Cub Scouts? How does the Scouts work out for him?

4. Why did Rolf go to a white high school and what happens to him in Vietnam?

5. What is one of Gunnar's favorite past times from a young age and what is he known for among his friends?

6. How did the Gun Totin' Hooligans come to be a gang?

7. What does Gunnar's elementary school emphasize?

8. Why does Gunnar's mother send her children outside and where do they go? In what kind of condition is the place?

9. What happens when Gunnar is pushing his sister Nicole on the swing?

10. How does Nick help Gunnar fit into the neighborhood better and how does Gunnar get a basketball?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Gunnar is momentarily angered that Nick and the man are talking about Gunnar's poetry, but thinking of his poetry at a time when he is so upset makes Gunnar realize that his poetry serves the same function as Psycho Loco's violence. Gunnar uses poetry to help him cope with external events, and Psycho Loco uses violence for the same reason.

1. How do you think poetry helps Gunnar cope with external events? Use examples from The White Boy Shuffle and your own life to support your answer.

2. How do you think violence helps Psycho Loco cope with external events? Use examples from The White Boy Shuffle and your own life to support your answer.

3. Discuss how two such different activities as writing poetry and committing violence could serve the same function. Use examples from The White Boy Shuffle and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

The White Boy Shuffle could be said to be a "bildungsroman" of Esi. Discuss the following:

1. Define the concepts "bildungsroman" and "coming of age."

2. Thoroughly trace and analyze The White Boy Shuffle as a bildungsroman of Gunnar. Give specific examples. What does Gunnar learn? How has he changed? Is the change for the better?

3. Thoroughly trace and analyze The White Boy Shuffle as a black power story. Give specific examples. What does Gunnar learn? What does Nick learn? What would blacks say about Gunnar's actions?

Essay Topic 3

Choose one of the following to discuss:

1. Choose two significant symbols and trace and analyze their appearance in The White Boy Shuffle. Are these universal symbols? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other symbols that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Beatty chooses the symbols he does? Do you think Beatty consciously decides upon the symbols to represent various elements of The White Boy Shuffle? Why or why not.

2. Choose two important metaphors and trace and analyze their appearance in The White Boy Shuffle. Are these universal metaphors? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other metaphors that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Beatty chooses the metaphors he does?

3. Discuss Beatty's use (or lack ) of literary device (such as foreshadowing, clifthangers, deux ex machina, etc...), and how they add or detract from the story. Does Beatty use too many or too little literary techniques? State to which of the five major elements of fiction the literary device is related (style, character, plot, setting, theme).

(see the answer keys)

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