View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Nick see as the problem with the Boston fire trucks?

2. What is preventing Gunnar from going to his mother's home?

3. How does Gunnar feel about a man's answer in Chapter Seven when he asks what is going on?

4. What does Gunnar say most people are not ready to do?

5. What does Gunnar, in a sarcastic fashion, think he should get when people say he is a new black leader?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Gunnar leaves his creative writing class in Chapter Ten when Gunnar is going home?

2. What happens when Yoshiko goes into labor?

3. Who arranges a marriage for Gunnar and how does he come up with a bride? Where does the wedding take place?

4. Who comes to talk to Gunnar about his speech the next day and what do they ask him about?

5. What does the recruiter from Boston University do to woo Gunnar?

6. What does Coach Shimimoto do and say when he keeps the team longer at practice in Chapter Seven?

7. How does the school counselor feel about Gunnar's SAT scores and what happens because of his scores?

8. What does Gunnar's creative writing class want him to do?

9. What does Gunnar's coach tell him about Nick and what does the coach have for him? What does Gunnar do?

10. When does Gunnar's wedding take place and who performs the ceremony?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There are a number of interesting questions raised by The White Boy Shuffle. Questions that Beatty most likely want readers to consider and think through carefully. Discuss the following:

1. What does the term "author agenda" mean?

2. Name one idea/concept you think may have been a part of the Beatty's agenda. Analyze that idea throughout the book and discuss Beatty's probable agenda concerning that idea.

2. Do you think writers who have an agenda for writing should point it out in a preface?

3. How often do you think fiction is written with a clear agenda in mind by the author?

4. Research the life of Paul Beatty and see if/where his life may have influenced his writing.

Essay Topic 2

Many black people are as prejudiced against white people as the other way around.

1. Do you think Gunnar's feelings towards white people are justified?

2. Some people call the idea of minorities hating the majority "reverse prejudice." What do you think this means and do you believe it exist?

3. Discuss why it is almost inevitable that an oppressed minority would be prejudiced against their oppressors. Use examples from The White Boy Shuffle and your own life to support your response.

Essay Topic 3

The counselor was shocked that a black student could get the high SAT scores that Gunnar made.

1. Refute or defend the following statement: Stereotypes about people are generally true. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. How do you think stereotyping or generalization in schools can affect students? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. The only statement that can be true about a population is if that population consist of only one person. Discuss this statement in view of the counselor stereotyping black students.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,063 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample