View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. When the countess rang the bell for Marcel to come to her room, what was he wearing?

2. Before the bail is posted for Jones's release, what does Brown ask the Secretary of the Interior to do?

3. When Brown and Martha are stopped by the soldier at the road-block, why does Brown protest?

4. A Tonton Macoute strikes up a conversation with Brown. Who is this man?

5. What does Jones name the ambassador's new dog?

Short Essay Questions

1. Throughout Chapter 1 of Part 1, the captain advises people to stay in touch with their respective consulates. Why is this, and how does it set the tone of the book?

2. Brown is aware of the ridiculous nature of three men with common names: Jones, Smith, and Brown. What does this tell the reader about Brown's view of the story?

3. When Angel has the mumps, Brown visits him at Martha's insistence, and this is the only time the two people interact for any length of time. What is the effect of this meeting? How is Angel portrayed?

4. When Brown and Mr. Smith visit the Secretary of State, hoping to free Jones, how is Brown successful? Why is Mr. Smith's bluntness ineffective?

5. After Philipot's body is removed from the pool, Joseph cleans the pool so Mr. Smith can swim. Mr. Smith passes very close to where the body had crouched, and Brown cringes to think of the two scenarios. How is this, in a succinct fashion, an indication of the story?

6. In his mother's desk, Brown finds a disk which Doctor Magiot recognizes as a medal of the resistance. What does this reveal about his mother?

7. What is the significance of Martha and Brown choosing to meet by the Columbus statue? Is there humor or irony in the choice?

8. From a literary aspect, what is the effect of portraying Jones as an actor who has not learned his lines well? Why does the author use this characterization throughout the book?

9. Brown's first notice from his mother comes in the form of two sentences written on a postcard. How is this indicative of his relationship with her? What does this postcard tell the reader about her pride?

10. When Brown reaches the hotel, Joseph answers his call timidly, and with a bowed head tells him the story of Doctor Philipot. What does this tell the reader about Joseph's character?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the use of light as a literary device. How many scenes occur in the dusk or dark? How much of Brown's life specifically occurs at these times? What does this say about him? Why might the author choose to place him in the darkness? How does this set the tone of the book?

Essay Topic 2

Examine Brown from a literary standpoint. As the narrator of the story, is he reliable? What advantages are there in telling the story from his standpoint? Is he able to provide an advantage which an omniscient narrator might not? How does his viewpoint color the entire story?

Essay Topic 3

Look back through the novel at the main characters. Have any of them changed? If so, how? Has the book simply progressed through a period of time, or has it traced the development of particular characters?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,500 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample