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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. How long is Karl away from his lift when he is taking Robinson to the dormitory?
2. On the night that Robinson comes to the hotel, where is Rennel?
3. Why are Karl and Robinson sent out to the balcony shortly after they arrive at the apartment?
4. What first prompted Delamarche to think of getting Karl to come work as Brunelda's servant?
5. What feature of his mother's face does Karl focus on in the photograph of her and his father?
Short Essay Questions
1. Describe Karl's encounter with the policeman in the Ramses suburbs.
2. Describe the interior of Brunelda's apartment.
3. What convinces Karl to stay at Brunelda's apartment even after Delamarche assaults him?
4. What does Karl learn from Robinson about Brunelda's marriage?
5. Why does Karl have a hard time sleeping when he is living at the Occidental Hotel?
6. What other locations is the description of the suburban Ramses apartment building meant to evoke, and what is the similarity between these locations?
7. What is ironic about Karl getting in trouble for being away from his lift?
8. When Karl is looking through his trunk, what does he realize about the cap he is wearing?
9. How does Karl try to improve his position in life while he is at the Occidental Hotel?
10. How does Therese's backstory support the idea that life for immigrants in America is difficult and somewhat dependent on sheer luck?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Do some online research to find out about the various titles that Kafka suggested for his novel before, apparently, settling on Der Verschollene. Then, consider what Brod was aiming for by titling the novel Amerika: The Missing Person and what impact it has when publishers shorten the title to simply Amerika. What do these various iterations of the title each imply? Write an essay in which you establish which title--Kafka's or Brod's--is more in keeping with the novel's thematic content. Support your assertions with evidence from the text, and cite any outside sources in MLA format.
Essay Topic 2
Write an essay that analyzes Amerika through the lens of Le Grand Guignol. Explain the hallmarks of this theatrical tradition and where they are seen, at minimum, in Kafka's settings, moods, and plot. Finally, explain what significance these similarities have to the book's overall meaning. Support your claims with evidence from the text.
Essay Topic 3
Write a pro-con essay that evaluates the critical contention that Amerika is a critique of American capitalism. Research critical arguments in favor of this interpretation as well as arguments that contest this interpretation. Provide evidence from the novel to support each side and then come to a conclusion about which side has more merit, and why. Cite your sources in MLA format.
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This section contains 1,173 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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