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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 the name of the bar where Von Brashlitz sets up his sex machine for the men?

2. What percentage does a track take on every dollar bet, according to Bukowski's horse-wagering explanations?

3. What job does Bukowski take on temporarily after losing a good sum of money at the track in "25 Bums in Rags?"

4. When Vicki returns home at the end of "3 Chickens," what does she discover?

5. Where does Henry stab Sarah with the hat pin?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Bukowski's job and why he quits.

2. In "Another Horse Story," how does Bukowski reconcile his anger at being parodied in the magazine?

3. Describe Bukowski's life with Linda in "3 Women."

4. How does the marriage of Joe and Cherry reflect the problems with their newspaper?

5. How does Danforth take advantage of Bagley after the latter is run through the machine in their office?

6. Why does Bukowski throw away the newspaper clippings at the end of "Life in a Texas Whorehouse?"

7. Who is Kid Stardust and what is his purpose?

8. How does Henry survive after killing Sarah with a hat pin?

9. Why does Cass self-mutilate?

10. What are the "3 Chickens" and what purpose do they serve in this story?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Bukowski depict his different lovers throughout his stories? In what ways does he differentiate between his casual flings and those for whom he has true feelings? What does this suggest about his relationship to sex? What is significant about Bukowski portraying himself as being in an abusive relationship with Vicki in "3 Chickens?" How does this contrast with his loving sacrifice of a relationship with Marie in "A Lovely Love Affair?"

Essay Topic 2

Why does Bukowski write primarily about people who live on the outskirts of society? What does this suggest about his personal relationship to society? How is this reflected in stories such as "All the Great Writers" and "The Birth, Life, and Death of an Underground Newspaper?" What are some ways that Bukowski allows his writing to infuse poetry into places and people from whom it might not be ordinarily expected? How is this a reflection upon not only Bukowski's skills, but his views on society?

Essay Topic 3

In what ways do many of these stories deal a person's tendency towards self-destruction? How does Bukowski cast himself in many of these roles (in particular, in "25 Bums in Rags")? What are some of the common traits of those who cannot keep their lives together? How are characters such as Cass, Vicky, and Jeff similar in this regard? How is this connected with suicide? What does this suggest about Bukowski's thoughts on his own self-destruction?

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