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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 Bardamu call New York City?

2. Whom does Bardamu meet up with at the carnival in Section 19?

3. What earns Bardamu a bad reputation in Section 16?

4. What type of suburb is it that Bardamu lives in upon returning to France?

5. How much money does Lola give to Bardamu in Section 13?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Bardamu despairing of Robinson and Madelon's lifestyle?

2. What does Robinson's appearance in Section 13 mean?

3. What profession does Bardamu take on in Section 15?

4. What do we terribly suspect Robinson of doing in Section 23?

5. Why is Bardamu suddenly disillusioned with the Tarapout Theater in Section 21?

6. What criticism does Bardamu offer for the scientific and medical communities?

7. What becomes obvious to Bardamu while attending the party on the houseboat?

8. What does Bebert fall ill from?

9. Why is Bardamu disgusted with the midwife?

10. What indiscretion does Bardamu practice in Toulouse?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does Madelon shoot Robinson, and why does Robinson not try to stop her?

Essay Topic 2

How does this novel challenge our conventional ideas of the 'good' characters and the 'bad' ones, with respect to Robinson and Bardamu?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the symbolism of the Asylum in the novel, both the asylum that Bardamu finds himself incarcerated in and the one that he ends up overseeing.

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