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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 color hair does Mary have?

2. With which character does Lee leave the bar?

3. Who does Bill form a partnership with in this chapter?

4. Who robs Bill in this chapter?

5. Why is Bill kicked out of his hotel?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Roy say to Lee at Lee's apartment in the opening ten pages?

2. Why did Bill turn to petty crime?

3. What is Bill's opinion of heroin dealers?

4. How do things change when Hermann is arrested?

5. In what way is homosexuality a major theme in the novel?

6. What happens to Marvin when he takes junk?

7. What is the difference between Burroughs' use of dialogue when talking to the police and his use of dialogue when talking to friends?

8. Describe Bill's meeting with the sailor.

9. Describe the character of Nick.

10. How was Bill able to travel around Europe?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe how the following characters helped Burroughs' recover from his drug addiction:

1) Old Ike

2) Bill's wife

3) Rollins

Essay Topic 2

Examine withdrawal from heroin as described in the book.

1) What does Lee feel and suffer during withdrawal?

2) How can withdrawal from heroin be made easier?

Essay Topic 3

Identify the main themes of the story. Why do you think these themes are so important to the story? How does Burroughs use character and setting to express these themes?

(see the answer keys)

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