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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. Chinaski believes that the hopes and joys of life are inevitably lost due to _________.

2. Whom does Chinaski drink with in "I Thought the Stuff Tasted Worse than Usual"?

3. Which poem is considered the strangest in the collection?

4. In "Invasion," what kind of animal does Chinaski see in his doorway?

5. In "Hard Times," how many familiar men does Chinaski run into?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Bukowski's portrayal of populism in his poems.

2. Describe Chinaski's thought process in "Everybody Talks Too Much."

3. How does Chinaski focus on the hidden horrors of life?

4. Describe the argument that Bukowski makes in "Fractional Note."

5. What is the message of "Trying to Make It"?

6. How does Bukowski build a sense of foreboding in "Invasion"?

7. What does the lion in "Invasion" represent?

8. Describe the feelings Bukowski portrays in "Party's Over."

9. In "Help Wanted," what does Chinaski fear?

10. Describe the conclusion Chinaski arrives at in "Wearing the Collar" and "A Cat is a Cat is a Cat is a Cat."

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What role does Chinaski's father play in the poems? What effect does he have on Chinaski and why? Can you see ways in which he has influenced Chinaski?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the role that the themes of loss and fear play in Bukowski's poetry. Explain the two poems that seem to focus the most on fear and loss. Explain why you think this theme prevails in these poems.

Essay Topic 3

Describe the portrayal of madness in Bukowski's work. Is madness portrayed as a negative trait? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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