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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. Who is Alexander Thwaite?

2. Once everyone realizes that Leamas is wanted in Britain, where does Peters take Leamas?

3. Who is Peter Gulliam?

4. Once Elvira crosses the German border, what does she report to Leamas?

5. What fake item does Fiedler want from Leamas?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the choice Leamas makes in Chapter 3 about who he hangs out with. Why does he make that choice.

2. How might the relationship between Miss Crail and Leamas be described? What makes it that way?

3. Why does Kiever make Leamas' fake passport expire so soon?

4. Why does Leamas refuse to believe that there could have been a spy in East Germany that he didn't know about?

5. Why does Leamas take a long, complicated route when he meets up with his contact after being released from prison?

6. In Chapter 10, what is the character of Liz Gold beginning to represent?

7. Based on the description of Leamas in Chapter 2, list 3 adjectives that describe him physically.

8. In Chapter 5, why does Leamas tell Liz to leave and never come back?

9. Does Leamas' personal life seem in conflict or in line with his professional life? Why?

10. What does Peter suggest about the money that Leamas was bringing to Scandinavian countries during Rolling Stone?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Research the basics of le Carre's life and explore how his personal and professional life may have had an impact on the story. Explain how le Carre's depiction of Leamas, the world of secret intelligence, and East Germany may have been shaped by specific examples from le Carre's own personal background and experiences.

Essay Topic 2

The reader's discovery of the actual plot that Leamas has been involved in dramatically changes the how the reader views what has happened in the novel up to that point. Discuss the dangers and benefits of having a very large, plot-altering secret come out at the end of a story. What are the pros? What are the cons? How does having such a secret exposed affect the reader?

Essay Topic 3

Complete a character analysis of one of the following characters: Liz, Leamas, Control, or Mundt. Make sure to address how their character changes throughout the story, what role their character plays in the story, and what significant things happen to them throughout the text. Additionally, make sure to use quotations from the text to provide evidence for your analysis.

(see the answer keys)

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