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. How does Ginzburg describe Stalin?

2. What does Tsarevsky say about Elvov?

3. What does Natasha reveal about the Gestapo?

4. What happens on Red Army Day?

5. For how long does this form of interrogation last?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does one prisoner do and others follow that breaks up the horror of their situation momentarily?

2. What is the "Conveyor Belt" interrogation method and how is it used on Ginzburg?

3. What does Ira ask Tsarevsky to do as she and others are being transferred and what does his willingness to do so portend?

4. Who are Ginzburg's new cell mates?

5. Who is Garey Sagidullin and what does Ginzburg learn from him?

6. What do Ginzburg and her husband decide to do for the school holidays and what does she say about the people who are at the same vacation spot?

7. Who is Eugenia Semyonovna Ginzburg and why is she awakened early in the morning on December 1, 1934?

8. Who summons Ginzburg after Elvov's arrest; what do they want with her, and how does she respond?

9. Who is Ginzburg's first cellmate at Black Lake?

10. Why does Ginzburg think things have been straightened out and what happens to throw her back into the midst of the purge?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

1. What is foreshadowing? How many incidences of foreshadowing are in Journey Into the Whirlwind? How does foreshadowing contribute to a book's suspense?

2. Discuss an example of foreshadowing in Journey Into the Whirlwind including why you believe it is foreshadowing. Include examples from the book and your own life to illustrate your answer.

3. How do you think Ginzburg reacts to uncertainty in her life? Use examples from Journey Into the Whirlwind and your own life to support your opinion.

Essay Topic 2

People are an important part of what makes Journey Into the Whirlwind interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Eugenia Ginzburg. What are her strengths? Her weaknesses? How does she contribute to the plot? Is she a sympathetic character? Is she ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

2. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Stalin. What are his strengths? His weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

3. Thoroughly discuss and analyze the character of Julia. What are her strengths? Her weaknesses? How does she contribute to the plot? Is she a sympathetic character? Is she ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of oppression in Journey Into the Whirlwind. Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with oppression? Why? What are some symbols of oppression? What events demonstrate oppression? What do the major people think of oppression?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of courage in Journey Into the Whirlwind. Which characters struggle with this issue? Why? Which characters seem to possess courage? Why?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of humanity in Journey Into the Whirlwind. Why are some people not considered human by the author? What is considered humane in Journey Into the Whirlwind? What evidence is there of inhumanity? How do the people react to inhumanity?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,152 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample