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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 does Nick ask Gunnar when he brings up suicide?

2. What is Ms. Kim doing when Gunnar arrives at her store?

3. Why does Yosiko throw the class out of the apartment?

4. Who arrives at Gunnar's house while the writing class is there?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. Who arranges a marriage for Gunnar and how does he come up with a bride? Where does the wedding take place?

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

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

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

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. 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?

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 father do after the riots and how does Gunnar feel about it?

9. What does Gunnar see when they finally get out of practice in Chapter Seven and how does he learn what is happening?

10. What happens when Yoshiko goes into labor?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

There are a number of interesting questions raised by The White Boy Shuffle. Questions that Beatty most likely want readers to consider and think through carefully. Discuss the following:

1. What does the term "author agenda" mean?

2. Name one idea/concept you think may have been a part of the Beatty's agenda. Analyze that idea throughout the book and discuss Beatty's probable agenda concerning that idea.

2. Do you think writers who have an agenda for writing should point it out in a preface?

3. How often do you think fiction is written with a clear agenda in mind by the author?

4. Research the life of Paul Beatty and see if/where his life may have influenced his writing.

Essay Topic 3

Many black people are as prejudiced against white people as the other way around.

1. Do you think Gunnar's feelings towards white people are justified?

2. Some people call the idea of minorities hating the majority "reverse prejudice." What do you think this means and do you believe it exist?

3. Discuss why it is almost inevitable that an oppressed minority would be prejudiced against their oppressors. Use examples from The White Boy Shuffle and your own life to support your response.

(see the answer keys)

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