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

2. What does Gunnar notice about a store as he walks by in Chapter Seven?

3. What major event occurred at the beginning of Chapter Seven?

4. What does Nick ask Gunnar when he brings up suicide?

5. What does Gunnar do when the introductory speaker is talking?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

4. How does the school counselor feel about Gunnar's SAT scores and what happens because of his scores?

5. What does Coach Shimimoto do and say when he keeps the team longer at practice in Chapter Seven?

6. What kind of social life does Gunnar, Yoshiko and Nick have in Boston?

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

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

9. What does Gunnar find out when he gets out of the hospital after the riots and goes to Psycho's house? What does Psycho say to Gunnar?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Setting as far as place and time play an important role in The White Boy Shuffle. Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast several aspects of the setting of that time, 1992 from how it would be today. Consider things such as cultural norms/expectations, technology, religion and medicine.

2. Do you think The White Boy Shuffle would be different if it were set in Europe? Consider the cultural differences as you discuss the way the story would change is set in the Europe.

3. Discuss some of the differences between the Los Angeles and Boston, as far as the relationship between blacks and whites. What are some similarities?

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

Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think it is important that The White Boy Shuffle was written? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Do you think The White Boy Shuffle did what the author set out to do? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Explain why you might or might not read another book by this author about another black person. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,201 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample