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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 Henry stand Karen up for a date?

2. What type of credit cards does Henry steal after he quits working at Azores?

3. How many furs does Karen own?

4. What is a wiseguy?

5. How old is Karen when she meets Henry?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the book describe how the mafia rose in the Brownsville-East New York area?

2. Why is the author, Nicholas Pileggi, hesitant to meet with Henry Hill, Jr. and write the book?

3. Describe how the insider Frenchy helped the mobsters steal $480,000 from the Air Cargo Center.

4. Why do Henry and his friends go to Las Vegas just after the Air Cargo Center robbery?

5. What problems do the mobsters run into while trying to get keys to the strong room, and how do they eventually overcome it?

6. Describe some of the illegal schemes that Henry takes part in while serving in the Army.

7. Describe the mentality of the "sidewalk soldiers" and why they never feared being caught for their crimes.

8. What is the typical wiseguy like?

9. Why does Henry fall for Karen when before he wasn't interested in having one steady girlfriend?

10. Describe why the author, Nicholas Pileggi, decides to write the book from Henry Hill's perspective.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Throughout most of his marriage, Henry lies to Karen about almost everything in much part because that is what most wiseguys did. What does this tell the reader in regards to how wiseguys valued other people? How does this showcase their self-serving nature?

Essay Topic 2

Henry was often treated with disrespect and hatred at home. How do you feel this influenced his becoming a wiseguy? Do you think that it is one of his biggest motivations or a coincidence? In what ways does this motivate and prepare him for a life in the mob? Are these downfalls to blame for these men entering a life of crime or are they simply a part of the typical wiseguy demographic? Is it possible for a wiseguy to be from a rich and well balanced home?

Essay Topic 3

In Chapters 13 and 14, the reader is shown the same story from two different perspectives: Henry's and Karen's. Compare and contrast these two perspectives. How does Henry's view of his life in prison differ from Karen's? Who do you think suffers more, and why?

(see the answer keys)

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