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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 is Rockland?

2. The friend equates what to the item?

3. Ginsberg sees a need for which of the following?

4. Ginsberg embraces which of the following?

5. Who is seen by Ginsberg?

Short Essay Questions

1. According to Williams and Ginsberg, how is it possible for love to survive?

2. What can the reader expect when reading HOWL?

3. What is the setting for Sunflower Sutra? What do the men dream about in regards to the scene?

4. Do you think that Ginsberg is being realistic in regards to this concept? Is there anything negative in the holiness?

5. What question does Ginsberg ask? To what can the sunflower be compared?

6. How does Ginsberg's lack of money affect his attitude in this poem?

7. Ginsberg spends a great deal of time talking about what is holy. What are the poet's thoughts on the subject?

8. What is Ginsberg's dream about being with Whitman in the store?

9. According to Ginsberg, what are some of the things that keep America interesting?

10. What was involved in regard to some of the social and political action taken by Ginsberg's peers?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the poem WILD ORPHAN Ginsberg discusses the life of an orphan. What are common fantasies and misconceptions about orphans? How do those compare to the reality? Use examples all of orphans as they are portrayed in movies and literature. How accurate are the portrayals? What is the difference between an orphanage and foster care? What are the criteria for each? Compare and contrast orphanages in the 1950s to today.

Essay Topic 2

Write a detailed analysis of each line of HOWL. You can choose to do so using either subjective or academic reasoning. Explain your analysis in detail. Cite sources where applicable.

Essay Topic 3

HOWL speaks a lot about madness. Explain what Ginsberg means by madness. Is it psychological, trauma induced, or sociologically or politically aggravated? What type of madness affected those in Ginsberg's generation? What are the symptoms of this madness? What are potential treatments? Is there a cure? How would such madness be treated today?

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