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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. One of the reasons Blood is initially captivated by Melody is her race and one of the outcomes of his involvement with her is further social confusion and dislike in Blood's mind. What race is Melody?

2. How is Sweet Jones' motivation for pimping described?

3. Chapter 8 is effectively "Day 3" in Blood's new life as a professional pimp with Runt as his working girl. After breakfast, how does Day 3 begin?

4. Why does Pretty Preston's attempt at revenge on Sweet Jones fail?

5. The failed con with Pepper reinforces what in Blood's mind?

Short Essay Questions

1. Another good name for Chapter 2 might be "Down a Dark Alley." What are three ways in which this name would be appropriate?

2. How does the Chapter 9 title "Butterfly" refer to Chris?

3. How does Party Time protect Bobby in Chapter 2, and why?

4. In what two ways does Pepper influence Blood?

5. Why does Bobby/Slim say that from a pimp's perspective, looking back, Steve was an idiot and played the game with Mama all wrong?

6. In Chapter 4, in spite of his quick score with Runt, what is Blood constantly reminding himself and why?

7. Bobby accepts the invitation to attend Tuskegee University initially and only leaves when kicked out for bad behavior. How is Bobby's decision to attend college indicative of his frame of mind at this age?

8. At the end of Chapter 4, Runt and Blood leave Milwaukee and go to Chicago to begin their new lives as pimp and prostitute together. Before he leaves though, Blood goes by Mama's house to tell her where he's going. How does this reflect his ambivalence towards his mother?

9. Why does Runt's failure to return after the wire beating prompt Blood to think about calling Mama in Chapter 11?

10. Blood gets up on his second day in Chicago and immediately gets high before going out for the night in Chapter 7. How does this sequence of events foreshadow a potential for backfire in Blood's plan to befriend Glass Top to get to Sweet Jones?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In Chapter 21, it is the news of Party Time's demise that finally provides the impetus for Slim to pull his life together and vow to quit drugs and pimping forever. What about this loss of his first street buddy, his first con partner, causes Slim to question every life decision he has made?

Essay Topic 2

Throughout his life, Slim maintains contact with Mama, even going to sit by her deathbed for six months and ultimately forgiving her. Trace the evolution of Slim and Mama's relationship and show how the changes in their relationship are reflected in the concurrent changes in Slim's life, attitude and choices.

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast Steve and Slim's biological fathers. How are their influences on Slim's life and choices similar or different? Both will turn up again in Slim's life; how are those encounters different? How does Slim react to each encounter and how does he feel afterward?

(see the answer keys)

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