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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. Where does the narrator say Ove left his envelope with its instructions before leaving his house for the train station in Chapter 15: “A Man Called Ove and a Delayed Train”?

2. What did Ove's elderly neighbor leave for him on his front porch after Ove painted his fence in Chapter 10: “A Man who was Ove and a House that Ove Built”?

3. Where did Ove's father work all his life?

4. What job did the director offer to Ove in Chapter 8: “A Man who was Ove and a Pair of His Father’s Old Footprints”?

5. What literary device is employed in this sentence from Chapter 1: “A Man Called Ove Buys A Computer That Is Not A Computer”: "He's the kind of man who points at people he doesn't like the look of, as if they were burglars and his forefinger a policeman's flashlight"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Ove intend to commit suicide in Chapter 11: “A Man Called Ove and a Lanky One who can’t Open a Window Without Falling Off a Ladder”? What prevents him from doing so?

2. What foreshadowing is seen in Chapter 7: “A Man Called Ove Drills a Hole for a Hook”?

3. Why was Ove rejected for military duty? How did this rejection impact him?

4. Why does Ove become frustrated about the rope in Chapter 9: “A Man Called Ove Bleeds a Radiator”?

5. Why does Ove cancel his newspaper and telephone subscriptions in Chapter 2: “(Three Weeks Earlier) A Man Called Ove Makes His Neighborhood Inspection”?

6. What happened during Ove's encounter with Tom in Chapter 12: “A Man who was Ove and One Day He Had Enough”?

7. What did Ove admit to Sonja on their first dinner date in Chapter 14: “A Man Who Was Ove and a Woman On A Train"? How did Sonja respond?

8. Why does Parvaneh ask Ove for additional help around her house in Chapter 13: “A Man Called Ove and a Clown Called Beppo”?

9. What led to Ove's hatred of men in white shirts?

10. Why does Ove go to the train station in Chapter 15: “A Man Called Ove and a Delayed Train”?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the themes of grief and loss in A Man Called Ove. How does the author explore these themes through symbolism and imagery? How are the themes illustrated through character and action?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the language style in A Man Called Ove. What are examples of literary devices such as alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia, simile, metaphor, etc. in the narrative? How well do you think the novel translates from Swedish to English? How does the language in the narrative reflect upon the novel's characters?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Ove's history and friendship with Rune. How did Ove and Rune meet? What was the basis of their friendship? What began the rivalry between Ove and Rune?

(see the answer keys)

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