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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. What does Vera call Henry for declining her?

2. Where does Henry say he first realized he was an idiot?

3. What country is Hector's wife from?

4. What does Henry say he looks like as he emerges in great pain from the bathroom?

5. What does Henry use to clean the sidewalk?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Henry find the Japanese girl attractive?

2. What does Maurice tell Henry in the tenth section?

3. What is Henry's excuse for walking funny?

4. What are the perks of Henry's new job?

5. Describe Henry's job at the bicycle shop.

6. How does Henry lose his job at the auto brakes company?

7. What is Henry's attitude at his job at the Times newspaper?

8. How does Jan react to Henry's reappearance in section nine?

9. How does Henry get fired from his job as a janitor?

10. What is Henry's role in the clothing store?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What does Bukowski express about liberty in his novel? In what ways are Bukowski and his career an example of American liberty?

Essay Topic 2

What problems does Bukowski identify with the American social system? What are the arguments for and against developing a better social system? How has the American social system changed since the 70s?

Essay Topic 3

The author wrote FACTOTUM in the first person. Why do you think the author chose to write the story in the first person? How do you think the meaning of the story would change if the author wrote it in the third person?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 687 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample