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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. When Ray reaches Eugene, Oregon, he comments on the smoke produced by a __________.

2. Who does Japhy say used to walk the trail that he and Ray are taking at the beginning of this chapter?

3. Who argues with the answer to #128 about her upcoming marriage?

4. Who is NOT one of the people who comes to visit after the wild party at Sean and Christine's?

5. What would the name of their press be, according to Japhy's plans for he and Ray's future?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where is Ray's lookout location to be situated?

2. What does Ray want to do when Japhy suggests they go to the lecture and discussion session?

3. As Japhy and Ray catch up a bit, what does Ray seem to feel about Japhy's demeanor?

4. What do Ray and Japhy do when they begin to get bored of the party?

5. What does Ray refuse to do at a wild party at Sean and Christine's house?

6. How does Ray help his mother and her illness?

7. What does Ray do as he stays in the shack behind Sean and Christine's home?

8. How does Ray get from El Paso to Los Angeles?

9. What does Ray realize about himself once he arrives at his summer job?

10. How does Ray get from Los Angeles to San Francisco as he searches for Japhy's shack?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The voice of the narrator is always a concern for a novel. Since the author's own life and opinions often influence the narration, the narrator's voice must be questioned.

Part 1: Who is the narrator of this novel?

Part 2: What does the narrator bring to the story and the telling of the story?

Part 3: How does this particular narrator affect the telling of the story? Is he/she a positive or negative influence on the story telling? Is he/she they trustworthy?

Essay Topic 2

At times, Ray seems to be almost a student of Japhy's, listening to everything he says and watching everything Japhy does.

Part 1: What does Ray want to learn from Japhy at the beginning of the manuscript?

Part 2: Is Japhy comfortable with the role of being a teacher? Why or why not?

Part 3: What does Japhy have to learn from Ray, as the story progresses?

Essay Topic 3

One might say the sexualized descriptions of the women in this story are an indication of Kerouac's own feelings about women and his own perceptions of women.

Part 1: Describe the female characters who are introduced in this novel.

Part 2: What are the motivations of these women, as one can tell from reading about their actions? What does this say about the author's feelings about women?

Part 3: Which female character is the most important to the story? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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