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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. Why does the judge call for a break during the intense questioning of Wendell Bolton by Briggs?

2. Steve says his movie will be not a story of his life, but a story of what?

3. Steve's father tells Steve that although he had never made the team for this sport, he hopes Steve will. What sport is he talking about?

4. What is the name of the prisoner who starts a fight with the preacher visiting the jail?

5. Which prisoner is sitting on the toilet in the first chapter?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Steve not hungry on the morning of Monday, July 6?

2. What does Steve think his father's crying means?

3. In the prologue, Steve says "they say you get used to being in jail." What is Steve's take on this passage?

4. What does Steve say in his journal for Tuesday, July 7, that all the other prisoners are always talking about?

5. When does Steve say he feels most involved with his case?

6. What does Star Wars have to do with the way Steve designs the beginning of his film?

7. Why does Johnny, the ringleader of the eventual crime, want to rob a pharmacy instead of a bank?

8. How can Steve's lawyer be described?

9. In the first journal entry, why does Steve say he does not recognize himself?

10. When the newscaster in Steve's "notes" section of the screenplay asks a passerby if he is shocked by the crime, what is the man's response?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The time line and time frame of this novel are not chronological, but are told rather in flashbacks. Pick at least three specific examples of flashbacks in this book. With each example, describe and contextualize what came before it and what came after it. In addition, write analytical descriptions of the flashbacks. Be sure to include in your analysis why Myers chose to convey this specific information in flashback structure rather than in chronological order. What does the specific structure of each flashback add to the memory that Myers could not achieve with chronological order?

Essay Topic 2

One major theme of this novel is teenage violence. Explain the role violence between teenagers and violence perpetrated by teenagers plays in the plot and characterization of this novel, and describe the ways in which Walter Dean Myers explores this theme. Be sure to indicate what you think Myers is trying to communicate to the reader about teenage violence, using specific textual examples.

Essay Topic 3

Some critics might read this novel as a coming of age story, in which Steve's maturation from young man or boy to mature man is one of the themes. In an analytical essay, describe the process of Steve's maturation and development, using specific examples from the book.

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