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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 do Ryszard and Julian leave for America?
2. Who does the dinner conversation center around?
3. How does Stefan die?
4. What is the name of the hotel in which Julian and Ryszard stay in New York City?
5. What happens on the ship to draw Maryna's attention away from her introspection?
Short Essay Questions
1. Who comes into Maryna's dressing room before the performance at the theatre in Krakow? What happens? How does Maryna react to the visitor's behavior?
2. As the story opens, the narrator describes the room in which people are conversing and drinking. Who are these people? How does the narrator know them?
3. According to her monologue at the end of Chapter One, why is Maryna ready to leave acting and try something new?
4. Maryna explains to Henryk why they are traveling to California by ship. What are the reasons? What is the faster way to get to California from New York? How does the trip go?
5. The first of the immigrants to leave, Julian and Ryszard travel together to America. What is Ryszard anticipating for the trip? What kind of man does he hope to be when he lands in America?
6. Who does Ryszard meet in the lounge of a whorehouse in New York City? What is important about the introduction Ryszard makes to the man? What do the two men talk about? What important thing does the man confirm for Ryszard?
7. While hiding at the celebration party, the narrator pieces together the people in the room and the subject of their discussions. What does she gather about the people in the room and the plan underway?
8. Once on board the ship, the narrator gives a detailed description of the steerage section of the ship. What is the steerage section, who travels steerage, and what stigma does it hold?
9. After her performance in Chapter One, Maryna dresses and is accompanied by Bogdan to the Hotel Saski. Why are they going to the Saski? What are they celebrating? Where is the narrator?
10. On his passage to America, Ryszard spends time listening to English speaking passengers. He meets many Americans. How does he describe the American attitude about their country? How does this differ from the way Ryszard sees himself as a Pole?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Ryszard thinks a great deal about class and privilege while on board the Germania on his way to America. Is the ship an analogy of a social system in America? Discuss this analogy and how accurate it is for America during the late nineteenth century as described in the novel.
Essay Topic 2
In the opening chapter, the narrator says "the past is the biggest country of all" and expresses the wish to set stories in the past. Discuss this quote and it's relevance to the novel.
Essay Topic 3
As they are readying to go to California to look for a new home for themselves and their friends, Ryszard says to Julian "America has its America, its better destination where everyone dreams of going." Discuss this theme in two contexts: America as it is seen by foreign immigrants, and America as it is seen by Americans.
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This section contains 1,261 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) |
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