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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. What does Tamara think is hysterical at the debate?

2. What does Julian ask Hephzibah one day while they are in bed?

3. Why does Hephzibah pray at home?

4. About what propensity of Julian's does Hephzibah worry?

5. Who introduces herself to Sam and Julian?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Julian go to the park?

2. What has happened to Immanuel?

3. How does Hephzibah respond when Sam asks her about a special bond between Jews?

4. What does Julian realize when he returns to the apartment he shares with Hephzibah and what does he decide?

5. What is the worse time for Malkie as she was dying and how is Libor feeling similarly?

6. Who is Meyer Abramsky and what did he do?

7. What does Sam say about Immanuel's fight?

8. Where does Libor invite Emmy and what concerns him about doing so?

9. Why is Hephzibah feeling paranoid?

10. How does Julian end up in the hospital?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

As Sam and Libor discuss their deceased wives, Sam envies Libor's range of grief and measures his husbandly worth against Libor's. Libor was always faithful to Malkie, and though Sam feels guilty for his infidelities, "It takes two to create fidelity, and while he wouldn't go so far as to say Tyler was not worthy of his, she certainly hadn't made it easy." It seems as though Julian is jealous of the grief that he imagines Sam and Libor experience, but Sam is jealous that Libor is actually mourning for his wife while Sam is simply angry that things did not work out the way he expected.

1. Do you think if a person loses a spouse and does not grieve as much as what most people think they should it means it was a bad relationship? Why or why not? Use examples from your own life and the book to support your answer.

2. Discuss the reasons you think Sam believes that Tyler was partly responsible for him being unfaithful. Use examples from your own life and the book to support your answer.

3. Discuss the reasons Julian might be jealous of Sam and Libor and what you think he should do about his jealousy. Use examples from your own life and the book to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

1. What is foreshadow? How many incidences of foreshadow are in The Finkler Question? How does foreshadow contribute to a book's suspense?

2. Discuss an example of foreshadow in The Finkler Question including why you believe it is foreshadow. Include examples from the book and your own life to illustrate your answer.

3. How do you think most people react to uncertainty in their lives? Use examples from The Finkler Question and your own live to support your opinion.

Essay Topic 3

Characters are an integral and important part of almost all novels. Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast the characters of Julian and Sam. How are they similar? How are they different? Is there a flaw in each of their personalities? Be specific and give examples.

2. Compare/contrast the characters of Julian and Libor. How do they seem different? Which do you like more? Why? Which one seems more of a well-rounded character?

3. Thoroughly analyze how three of the secondary characters in The Finkler Question help drive the plot and what their contribution is to the storyline. Are any of the secondary characters unnecessary? Indispensable? Which of the secondary characters are likable? Which are either unlikable or even despicable? Be specific and give examples.

(see the answer keys)

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