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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. Who is most fond of motivational cliches?

2. According to Chinaski in "Drive Through Hell," the adjective which describes all of humanity is ________.

3. With whom does Chinaski seem to feel the strongest kinship?

4. What kind of magazines does Chinaski write for in "O Tempora! O Mores!"?

5. What is the name of the thief who lives in a boarding house in "Bad Times at the 3rd and Vermont Hotel"?

Short Essay Questions

1. Which poems best reflect Chinaski's connection to generations of artists preceding him and why?

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

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

4. Describe the events of the poem "Stride."

5. What type of conflict does "Red Mercedes" describe?

6. How is the Chinaski of 1986 described?

7. What does "The Master Plan" reveal about Chinaski?

8. How is Chinaski portrayed in "Zero"?

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

10. What is significant about the poems following "The Master Plan" in terms of imagery?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze Chinaski's domestic life. Is domestic life portrayed as positive or negative? Is Chinaski's opinion of domestic life genuine? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

An allegory is a literary device used to show that a part represents a whole. Describe the use of allegory in at least one of Bukowski's poems. Then explain why the use of allegory is effective or ineffective.

Essay Topic 3

What is the significance of the poem "Invasion"? What does the lion in the poem symbolize? What is the message of this poem, and how do you know?

(see the answer keys)

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