3. Once Alex and the unnamed narrator make it to Alex's apartment, they hear through what medium that "the storm would make landfall around 4:00 a.m." (20)?

4. Liza laughingly compares the author to which historical figure once he announces that he will opt for local anesthesia?

5. At what type of school had the author been teaching before taking his leave of absence?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the main difference between the unnamed narrator of 10:04 and the character in the unnamed narrator's novel he calls "the author" (61)?

2. What situation causes the author a great deal of anxiety when the librarian arrives for their meeting?

3. What medical procedure does the author require and why?

4. What does the gaslight lamp symbolize within the short story "The Golden Vanity"?

5. What injury lands Bernard in the hospital and what role do Natali and Bernard then ask the unnamed narrator to fulfill?

6. Discuss an instance when Lerner uses a simile to provide a vivid image of the setting in "The Golden Vanity."

7. Explain the art installation Alex and the unnamed narrator attend in Part One.

8. In what location does Alex ask the unnamed narrator to provide the sperm that will create her child and what is significant about her lack of eye contact in this moment?

9. Provide an example when Lerner's role as a poet becomes apparent through his use of sensory details.

10. What advice from Dr. Roberts does the author apply within "The Golden Vanity" and how does he apply it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Lerner's choice to tell the story of 10:04 using the first and second person points of view. What elements of the novel's themes lend themselves to this choice and what are Lerner’s intended effects on the reader?