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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In "Journey to the End of the Night," the narrator says that one should "always be frightened" of what?
(a) Death.
(b) Violence.
(c) Men.
(d) Beasts.

2. During the 1930s, what group does Kristeva say was calling for equality?
(a) Republicans.
(b) Capitalists.
(c) National Socialists.
(d) Communists.

3. What language did Celine describe as regal in a quote Kristeva uses in Chapter 10?
(a) English.
(b) Italian.
(c) German.
(d) French.

4. What is Celine's character Molly's occupation?
(a) Poet.
(b) Prostitute.
(c) Factory worker.
(d) Seamstress.

5. Kristeva says Celine is the first to realize that emotional depths are revealed by what?
(a) Death.
(b) Salvation.
(c) Melody.
(d) Poetry.

Short Answer Questions

1. Kristeva quotes Celine as saying his aim was to do what to language?

2. Kristeva says the hatred of Jews is a metaphor for a very primal struggle against what perception?

3. What does Kristeva call Celine's idea that through violent confrontation, each person is reduced to the same, miserable state?

4. Chapter 9 "Ours to Jew or Die" begins with a quote that was taken from a letter written to whom?

5. Where does Kristeva say the "miracle" of Celine lies?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Kristeva mean when she says Celine's language exhibits a fascination with what might be called "binary" speech?

2. How did Celine use strong women in his works?

3. What reasons does Kristeva give for why Celine agreed with anti-Jew sentiments?

4. Why would Celine's work not be considered abject when he was actively writing them?

5. Why might Kristeva say many of Celine's stylistic choices be called anti-linguistic or anti-grammatical?

6. How does Kristeva say Celine seemed to feel about human identities?

7. How does Kristeva say the hatred of Jews act as a metaphor for the abject?

8. Describe Celine's mother type of character.

9. Why does Kristeva say that in Germany, even when Jews were seriously persecuted, they were punished with an increased vigor?

10. In what ways that Kristeva points out do Celine's writings differ from Jewish ideas?

(see the answer keys)

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