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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 she do when she senses his sudden change of heart?

2. What is significant about this point in the story?

3. With what does it begin?

4. How long has it been since the accident?

5. How does the doctor react to the story?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the section begin?

2. What would happen if the protagonist did not do what the teacher told him to do?

3. Describe the protagonist's story about his teacher.

4. What does the girl tell the protagonist?

5. Why is the protagonist not able to make love to the girl?

6. What do the doctor and the protagonist say about the river?

7. How does this section begin?

8. What does the protagonist realize he wants to do? How does the girl react?

9. What is the protagonist's memory of Moishe?

10. What is Eliezer's memory about the train station?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Gyula destroys the portrait.

Part 1) Why does he destroy it? Does this help the main character? Why or why not?

Part 2) Would this tactic work with anyone suffering in the same way as the main character? Why or why not?

Part 3) Why does Gyula leave the ashes sitting in a pile? How do they affect the protagonist? Why do they affect him this way?

Essay Topic 2

Shimon, the protagonist's friend, considers him a saint.

Part 1) Why does he consider him a saint? How does the protagonist feel about this?

Part 2) How does the protagonist mimic this thought later in the novel?

Part 3) Compare the person and reaction later in the novel to his reaction to being called a saint.

Part 4) What is the connection between this and the stranger on the ship and Gyula?

Essay Topic 3

The main character stays and listens to Sarah's story.

Part 1) How is this similar to Kathleen staying in a relationship with the main character?

Part 2) How does her story reveal more details of life in a concentration camp?

Part 3) Compare and contrast Sarah and the main character.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 971 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample