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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 does the narrator's landlord grin when he sees him?

2. How long is Tiny in the hospital after his fall?

3. Why does the narrator say he needs to talk to his wife?

4. What nickname does J.P. call the narrator?

5. What was the short story the narrator read about?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does the narrator not tell J.P. that he woke up on New Year's Day wanting a drink?

2. Why does the narrator not give his name?

3. What is the significance of mentioning the razor nicks on J.P.'s and other residents' faces?

4. Does the narrator believe that "the guy who travels" actually travels?

5. What is J.P.'s wife a symbol of?

6. What is the significance of Christmas in the story?

7. Give an example of sarcasm in the story.

8. In the section about the landlord, what does the narrator's nakedness represent?

9. How does J.P. treat his wife?

10. Why does J.P. say the proprietor makes him feel like a "bug"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Does the narrator love his wife and his girlfriend? How can you tell?

Essay Topic 2

The narrator describes J.P. as "first and foremost a drunk. But he's also a chimney sweep." Why does the narrator include both aspects of J.P.'s identity? How does this reflect one of the story's themes?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss how emotional and physical isolation are connected in the story.

(see the answer keys)

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