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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. How much money does Mason give Ainsworth Hockley?

2. How does Madge choose horses to bet on in "The Beginner?"

3. While Lincoln tortures Vasquez, how does Andrew spend his time?

4. What do the police officers do to Blanchard before taking him to the station?

5. What does the unnamed narrator of "Trouble with a Battery" reveal to have been the reason he picked up a prostitute in the first place?

Short Essay Questions

1. At the end of the story, what is revealed as the reason for the narrator's presence at the bar, and what does this suggest about his feelings on the whole encounter?

2. What happens to Blanchard after the attack?

3. Describe the ironic encounter between Mason and the waiter at the end of "All the Great Writers."

4. Who is Ginny?

5. What is significant about the condition of the stolen corpse in "The Copulating Mermaid of Venice, California" and how do Tony and Bill react to it?

6. Why does Bukowski refuse to acquaint himself with Gramercy Edwards in "A Drinking Partner?"

7. Describe some of the preparations taken before the conspiracy to replace the President's brain and larynx with Hitler's own body parts.

8. What happens off of the coast of Spain in "Politics is like Trying to Screw a Cat in the Ass?"

9. Describe Herb and Talbot's relationship.

10. What does Bukowski mean when he disagrees with Herb's assessment that the schoolchildren who were killed in the explosion never got laid?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In what ways does Bukowski connect homosexuality with success? What is significant about his respect for the people who are openly homosexual? Despite this, what is Bukowski's own relationship with homosexuality? Why does it seem to make him uncomfortable? Consider how this is reflected in the following stories: "The Gut-Wringing Machine," "The Day We Talked About James Thurber," and "The Murder of Ramon Vasquez."

Essay Topic 2

Compose a brief essay about violence in Bukowski's stories. Be sure to develop a clear thesis statement and cite specific examples from the text to support your arguments. Consider, in particular, how Bukowski feels about violence (stories that are helpful in this regard include "A Drinking Partner" and "3 Chickens"). How do his other characters deal with violence? What statement is Bukowski attempting to make? Stories that contain violence include (but not exclusively) "The Fiend," "The Murder of Ramon Vasquez," "The Fuck Machine," and "The White Beard." Feel free to draw comparisons from other stories that may not feature violence prominently, but deal with Bukowski's themes on violence in society.

Essay Topic 3

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?"

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This section contains 1,392 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample