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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. Why does Kira pretend to be a prostitute?

2. How is Kira's family surviving financially?

3. What scares Kira away from buying food on the black market?

4. What does Vava ask the guests to bring?

5. How does Kira try to have Marisha thrown out of the apartment?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Kira realize, after becoming more comfortable with her living conditions, about Communism?

2. What does Kira pretending to be a prostitute reveal about her?

3. What is interesting about Kira and Andrei's relationship?

4. Why does Leo feel there is much against him and Kira?

5. In what ways does Kira fail to follow the dictates of society?

6. Why does Andrei order soup for Kira?

7. How are Sonia and Kira different?

8. Why does Kira have Andrei drop her off near her parents' apartment?

9. What happens to Leo's father's apartment?

10. What is significant about Kira deciding to leave with Leo?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Using details from the novel, describe what you think Russia would look like if it were NOT a Communist country. How would Kira's ideals translate into a government? What would daily life be like? How would this differ from the Russia of "We the Living"?

Essay Topic 2

Although they are never given the main focus in "We the Living", peasants are at the heart of Communism. Describe how Communism is meant to serve the peasants vs. how they are actually treated. Analyze the times in "We the Living" that peasants are described or alluded to. How do the characters in the novel respond to the peasantry? How does this reflect Communism?

Essay Topic 3

The characters in "We the Living" hold a variety of jobs. Choose four characters, and compare and contrast their jobs. Reflect on the value society has for these jobs, the actual work involved, the possibility for advancement, and how the job would be different if Russia were not Communist.

(see the answer keys)

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