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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. How does the bride get to the wedding?

2. What does the school guidance counselor find unbelievable about Gunnar?

3. What does Psycho Loco ask the Boston University recruiter?

4. What do the wedding crashers say to the guests?

5. How does Gunnar mock the game played between Campesino and Hillside?

Short Essay Questions

1. To what is Gunnar invited to speak and how does Gunnar feel about the introductory speaker?

2. What does Gunnar say to the reporters about suicide?

3. What does Gunnar decide is the best approach to speaking and what does he talk about?

4. What happens when Gunnar leaves his creative writing class in Chapter Ten when Gunnar is going home?

5. What does Nick complain about Boston and what does he do about it?

6. What does Gunnar's coach tell him about Nick and what does the coach have for him? What does Gunnar do?

7. What does Gunnar's father do after the riots and how does Gunnar feel about it?

8. Who comes to talk to Gunnar about his speech the next day and what do they ask him about?

9. What does the recruiter from Boston University do to woo Gunnar?

10. What does Gunnar do when he can find no extracurricular activities to join and want does Gunnar write Yoshiko while on the road?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss one of the following:

1. Thoroughly analyze how the setting informs the plot in The White Boy Shuffle.

2. Trace and analyze one major theme of The White Boy Shuffle. How is the theme represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

3. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of The White Boy Shuffle. How are the themes represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of growth in The White Boy Shuffle. Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with growth? Why? What are some symbols of growth? Symbols of rigidity? What characters seem rigid?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of individual freedom in The White Boy Shuffle. Which characters struggle with this issue? Why? Which characters seem to possess individual freedom? Why?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of tradition in The White Boy Shuffle. What is Gunnar's view of tradition? Gunnar's mother? Nick's? Gunnar's father. Why is tradition important to some characters? Is anyone willing to abandon traditional viewpoints? Who? What are the positive and negative sides to holding fast to tradition?

Essay Topic 3

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think A Single Shard is? Explain your response.

(see the answer keys)

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