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

Short Answer Questions

1. Who kills Kirilov?

2. Why is The Possessed an inaccurate transposition of the story of the swine in Luke?

3. Why do the townspeople think the Lebyatkins were killed?

4. The first chapter of Part 3 is set the day after what?

5. How has public opinion shifted on the eve of the fête?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the moral of The Possessed? Is conversion to Christianity a real solution to the problems the book presents? Is there a difference between the social problems the book presents us with and the problems of individual morality that the characters face?

Essay Topic 2

What is the genre of The Possessed? Is it a realistic novel of Russian life, or is it something else? A philosophical melodrama? A political thriller? An allegory of radicalism?

Essay Topic 3

What role does innocence play in The Possessed? Is it always sacrificed, as Mary Lebyatkin and Shatov are? Does it endure anywhere, in spite of Mary and Shatov's murders?

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