View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In "Starting Fast," what does Chinaski ruminate on?
(a) His age.
(b) His family.
(c) His job.
(d) His past.

2. Where does Chinaski live?
(a) San Francisco.
(b) New York.
(c) Dallas.
(d) Los Angeles.

3. Where is the man located in "The Man in the Brown Suit"?
(a) An office.
(b) A grocery store.
(c) A bank.
(d) A diner.

4. What significant event in history does Chinaski consider in "Sunny Side Down"?
(a) Cold War.
(b) World War II.
(c) French Revolution.
(d) Industrial Revolution.

5. How much does Chinaski owe to the IRS?
(a) 10,000 dollars.
(b) 14,000 dollars.
(c) 7,000 dollars.
(d) 3,000 dollars.

Short Answer Questions

1. In school, Chinaski often had difficulty with ___________.

2. In "Drive Through Hell," where does Chinaski see the soul of the world?

3. Chinaski argues that his friend from "Stride" would feel crestfallen to see what which of the following does to a man?

4. What is the name of Chinaski's lover with whom he lived with on next to nothing?

5. In "Red Mercedes," what does the passenger hand the driver of the car from the glove box?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Chinaski's father and his perception of him.

2. Describe the role of loss in Bukowski's poetry.

3. What does Chinaski point out in "Termites of the Page"?

4. Describe the overall tone and themes of the poems in Bukowski's book.

5. Describe the message Bukowski presents in "Darkness."

6. What happens in "The Passing of a Great One" and "The Wine of Forever"?

7. What is the poem "Shoes" about?

8. In his poems, Bukowski acknowledges that all people have what, and why?

9. How do many of the poems seem to serve as a defense of listlessness?

10. What relationships are defined in "A Non-urgent Poem" and "For My Ivy League Friends"?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 759 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample