Russian Stories: A Dual-Language Book Papers & Assignment Topics

Essay Topics/Writing Assignments

These 20 essay questions can be used as essay questions on a test, or as stand-alone essay topics for a take-home or in-class writing assignment. Students should have a full understanding of the text in order to answer these questions. They ask for a thorough analysis of the text.

1. Describe the story of the prodigal son on the stationmaster's wall in "The Stationmaster", by Pushkin. How does this allegory relate to the stationmaster's daughter in the main story?

2. Describe how the hussar in Pushkin's "The Stationmaster" cons Dunya and her father into letting him stay there for a few days. What is his ultimate agenda? Is he successful? Why doe they seem to trust him?

3. Describe how Major Kovalyov reacts to the situation of his missing nose in Gogol's "The Nose". What does he do for a...
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