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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 does Miro reveal himself to be?

2. Does the author provide some kind of closure for Kate's character and her family?

3. What country do the terrorists seem to be fighting for?

4. When does Kate think she can steal the bus?

5. Why does the General try to seek forgiveness?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where does Miro leave Kate's body?

2. As the General looks back on the day of the hijacking, what does he wonder?

3. Why does Artkin kill Raymond?

4. What does Miro think about as Artkin tortures Ben?

5. To the reader, what does it seem like the General has chosen?

6. How does Artkin die?

7. How is the book's ending ironic?

8. What led to Ben's suicide.

9. What does the reader begin to wonder about Ben's involvement with the terrorists?

10. What is shocking about the end of the novel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Two thirds of the way through the novel, the author begins to focus on two relationships. When it is revealed that Artkin in Miro's father, the author shifts the reader's attention to their apparent father/son relationship. Compare this relationship to Ben and the General.

Essay Topic 2

How has the General's actions caused Ben to commit suicide?

How could the General have prevented the death of his son?

Essay Topic 3

A little over half way through the novel, the reader is surprised when the narrator changes.

How does the change in narrator create a different tone and feeling in the novel?

Why do you think Cormier chose to change the narrator.

(see the answer keys)

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