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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 does Schramm apologize for when he encounters Osvaldo later outside the church?

2. Where did the Brosslers formerly live before they decided to escape and head to the mountains?

3. What does Iacopo admit to Mirella when they return home after Iacopo is released from jail?

4. Who are the Jews under the protection of before the war seemingly ends?

5. Where have Claudette and Albert been hiding for the last week?

Short Essay Questions

1. What might it take to help Schramm heal from his tuberculosis?

2. What happened to the Jews of Italy when Mussolini surrendered in 1942?

3. What was the horrible event that happened to Klara Hitler which led to her immaculate home?

4. How does Schramm travel through German checkpoints?

5. How does Werner Schramm compare war to misdiagnosed tuberculosis?

6. What does Schramm understand now that he sees how life really is rather than how it is portrayed by artists?

7. Why does Werner think his mother committed suicide?

8. What is Loeb's frantic warning to everyone he speaks to after the bells ring at the church?

9. What does Catarina Dolcino confess to Don Osvaldo that seems "funny" to him?

10. When Duno comes looking for Leto Girotti, what do Renzo and Osvaldo tell Duno to do?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Schramm is a complicated character, coming from a German background, but then seemingly turning around at the end.

Part 1: Why did Schramm go AWOL from the German army to begin with?

Part 2: Why does Schramm ask for forgiveness for his sins? What were his sins?

Part 3: Can you believe Schramm's eventual apology in the end of the book? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

The language barrier between the Brosslers and Goletta causes a potentially disastrous decision to be made.

Part 1: What happens between the Brosslers and Goletta?

Part 2: What is the decision that is made?

Part 3: How might Goletta or the Brosslers have overcome the language barrier?

Essay Topic 3

What's most interesting about this novel is the contradiction in beliefs and in the results of those beliefs. For example, Schramm is guilty of horrible things, but so is Renzo.

Part 1: What are Schramm's crimes within this novel and before the time of the novel?

Part 2: What are Renzo's crimes within this novel?

Part 3: How are these characters to be compared in terms of their guilt? Is one character more guiltier than the other? Why? Why not?

(see the answer keys)

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