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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. As a child, what did Erich receive every year on his birthday?

3. What does Erich see as Maurice autographs his novel in Part I, Chapter 8?

4. At what school is Edith going to teach?

5. What is the name of Edith's sister?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the subject of Two Germans? What happens to Erich after its publication?

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

3. What is Gore Vidal's first impressions of Maurice?

4. How did Erich meet Oskar Gött?

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

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

8. What happened when Erich and Oskar took a biking trip together?

9. How does Dash feel about Maurice, according to his conversation with Gore Vidal?

10. How did the friendship between Oskar and Erich end, according to Erich in Part I, Chapter 7?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Appearances in the novel can be deceiving. How do appearances differ from reality in this novel? Discuss three characters and how this idea applies to each.

Essay Topic 2

According to Gore Vidal in the first interlude, what happened during Erich’s youth was “all just a circumstance of birth” (111). To what extent is Erich to blame for his actions as a youth? To what extent did he pay for his crimes? Was his fate just?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the many people integral to Maurice’s life: Edith, Daniel, Erich, and Dash. Does he truly love any of them? If so, whom? What is the nature of this love? What point do you think the author is trying to make about love?

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