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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 the discussion of The Grasshopper Lies Heavy lead Joe and Juliana to do?

2. What does Chapter 9 reveal about how the earlier incident at Childan's store has left him feeling?

3. According to Abendsen's novel, what problem has been solved as a result of the Allies' victory?

4. In Chapter 12, what dilemma does Wegener's suggested plan of action present to the Japanese?

5. As the dinner and the conversations in Chapter 7 continue, what realization does Childan come to about the Kasouras and all Japanese?

Short Essay Questions

1. When the police approach Frank and arrest him, Frank thinks, "This is what the times require of us." What does this quote mean? What is the real reason Frank is being arrested? How does this arrest in this society reflect the quote?

2. Paul sees The Grasshopper Lies Heavy as being "possibly within the genre of science fiction." Betty disagrees because "science fiction deals with the future, in particular where science has advanced over now." Paul notes, however, that "it deals with an alternate present" as many well-known science fiction novels do. How do their definitions fit into the classifying of The High Castle as science fiction? Is there anything you would add to their definition?

3. The Kasouras seem to be obsessed with the American way and their American guest and go out of their way to treat him as an equal. How is this demonstrated? What aspect of early 1960s America does this reflect?

4. Chapter 9 repeats a technique used by Philip Dick in earlier chapters. He presents multiple characters and scenarios within a single chapter. What three scenarios are presented, and who is included in each? How does Dick attain a sense of unity despite the differing scenarios?

5. In Chapter 13, when Juliana questions the change in Joe's appearance, he replies, "I'm tired of being a wop." What changes in Joe does she witness? How can his statement be interpreted in more than one way? What is being implied here?

6. Frank thinks Juliana may be able to help him and McCarthy sell their jewelry. He looks at this relationship as being strictly business. What qualities does he see in her that could be helpful? What does this further reveal about her character? Do you feel this is the real reason he would like to contact her?

7. Paul's proposal to mass market the Edfrank Jewelry is turned down by Childan, despite the fact this could have made him very wealthy. What has the jewelry come to symbolize to Childan that makes it more important than wealth? How does this realization affect him?

8. In response to Paul's return of the jewelry, it is said that "long habit had caused Childan to suppress any show of authentic feelings ... He could sense it there..the mask." What is this saying about Childan? What other characters do we find wearing "masks"? Why? What does this further say about this society in general?

9. As her concern about Joe and his real identity and intentions grow, Juliana's thoughts revert to Frank. First, she thinks, "Frank. Help me. I'm into something I don't understand." A bit later she informs Joe, "My husband is a Jew." What does this suggest about her feelings about Frank? What is further revealed about her character?

10. In Chapter 7, the reader learns more about Childan through his dialogue with the Kasouras and through a further glimpse into his inner thoughts. What do we learn about his political and cultural views? What does this say about his character? Are his views justified? Has your opinion of him changed at all since you first met him in Chapter 1?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Both Childan, when speaking with Paul about Edfrank Jewelry, and Tagomi, upon his return to his office, refer to the masks they wear. Explain what is meant by this. Discuss how it applies to these two characters and to others in the novel. Explain further how this concept helps develop a main theme of the novel.

Essay Topic 2

Often a character faces both inner and outer conflicts that define his personality. Choose a character from The High Castle and discuss both an internal and an external conflict faced by this character (one may lead to the other or they may be completely separate). For each, define the conflict, describe how the character dealt with the conflict, and explain how (if) it was resolved. Go on to discuss what this says about this character. Be specific throughout.

Essay Topic 3

The idea of Good vs Evil is a common motif in literature. Explain how this theme is represented in the novel The High Castle. Who or what represents the Good? Who or what represents the Evil? Is the line clearly drawn between the two? Based upon the characters and events he gives the reader, what can we conclude about Philip Dick's theories about the Good vs Evil conflict?

(see the answer keys)

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