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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 did Oskar do with his drawing, according to Erich in Part I, Chapter 5?

2. Whom does Erich see with a bottle of champagne in Part II, Chapter 4?

3. What book does Erich find in Maurice's bag in Part I, Chapter 6?

4. Which of Edith's students refuses to accept constructive criticism?

5. What types of stories does Edith's student Garrett write?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Garrett Colby and how does Maurice interact with him in Part II, Chapter 1?

2. Who is Edith? What career is she undertaking in Part II, Chapter 1?

3. How did Erich meet Oskar Gött?

4. What happens to Erich during the panel event in Part I, Chapter 6? How did Maurice respond?

5. What sketch did Oskar show Erich, according to Erich in Part I, Chapter 5? What did Erich say about it? What did Erich think about it?

6. What does Maurice aspire to be? What obstacle does he face regarding his dream, and what advice does Erich offer him in Part I, Chapter 2?

7. How does Maurice dash Erich's hopes in Part I, Chapter 7?

8. What moves Erich to jealousy while he and Maurice are in Madrid?

9. What is Gore Vidal's opinion of Dash Hardy, both professionally and personally?

10. Who is Erich Ackermann and what has happened to him at the opening of the novel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Maurice’s contradictory characteristics. In what ways is he a good person? In what ways is he a bad person? In what ways is he artistic? In what ways does he lack artistry?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay explaining the significance of the title of the novel, A Ladder to the Sky. How does the title reflect the main characters? How does the title reflect the novel’s themes? How does the title’s meaning change over the course of the novel?

Essay Topic 3

During their conversation in the first interlude, Gore warns Maurice that “[w]hen the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers” (125). How does the rest of the novel support or refute this claim?

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