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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 Gunnar feel about the introductory speaker?

2. What happens to Gunnar when he walks to the store to buy something for Yoshiko's craving?

3. What do some people think Gunnar's speech at the rally does?

4. Why was Gunnar wanted at this school?

5. What does Gunnar's mother lend him following the wedding?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

5. Where does Gunnar find refuge in his new school, how does he get his assignments and why has he been brought to that school?

6. Who crashes Gunnar's wedding and what happens between them and his bride?

7. What happens in Chapter Seven when Gunnar arrives at Ms. Kim's store?

8. When does Gunnar's wedding take place and who performs the ceremony?

9. What does Gunnar's creative writing class want him to do?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

Essay Topic 2

One night after leaving a dance club, the guys talk about police harassment they have endured and they discuss the possible outcomes of the upcoming trial for the police officers caught on film beating a black motorist named Rodney King.

1. Police officers stopping minorities more often than whites is called racial profiling. What measures do you think should be taken to prevent racial profiling? Discuss your opinion in depth using examples from The White Boy Shuffle and your own life.

2. What would you do if you were Gunnar and stopped by the police for no reason? Discuss your options in depth.

3. Do you think that a suit and college education stops racism? Why or why not? Discuss your opinion in depth using examples from The White Boy Shuffle and your own life.

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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