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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. Kristeva says that the reader is thrown into what kind of state when reading Celine?

2. Chapter 9 "Ours to Jew or Die" begins with a quote by whom?

3. Who does Kristeva say Celine's maternal figures depend on for their existence?

4. In "Journey to the End of the Night," the narrator says that one should "always be frightened" of what?

5. Kristeva says illusions give what to hatred?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Kristeva seem to feel about Celine's Nazism?

2. What does Kristeva say Celine felt was the foundation of human existence?

3. Why does Kristeva say her reading of Celine will not be a thematic one?

4. What does Kristeva say about how Celine's novels are realistic?

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

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

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

8. Why does Kristeva say it is rash to ignore any value one might find in the Anti-Semitism in Celine's work?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explore the use of rites and laws in the book. Why does Kristeva make use of these concepts? What are they examples of? How do rites and laws attempt to combat the abject? What does Kristeva seem to think of these rites and laws?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the concept of the Other as part of the Oedipal triangle. What does Kristeva say the Other is? Why does man try to seek fulfillment through it? What happens when man stops trying to seek fulfillment through the Other? How does this relate to the abject?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the way phobias relate to the abject in the book. Where does Kristeva say phobias come from? What are people really afraid of? What do phobias seem to represent, with regard to the abject?

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