View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who is the real thief?

2. What does Morris average for the last two weeks in December?

3. How does Frank feel about what he does?

4. What does Helen tell Frank to do in order to prepare himself for college?

5. According to Morris, what kills the small man?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Helen give Frank to prepare him for school? How does Frank react?

2. How does Frank feel about Helen?

3. What does Frank Alpine say about his luck and opportunities?

4. What do you think the relevance of St. Francis is to the story?

5. How does Frank feel about life at the store?

6. Describe Frank's early family life.

7. How does Frank do while filling in for Morris?

8. How does Helen feel about Frank now?

9. How does Helen feel about her failed relationship with Nat Pearl?

10. What does Frank want from Morris? What else might he be interested in?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay on the role of the family provider. Be sure to address:

1) Changing trends in family providers, including gender roles, state involvement, and so on.

2) How being a family provider is dealt with in THE ASSISTANT, and the issues characters face in regards to being a provider.

3) Important characteristics and personality traits of a good family provider.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay describing how you feel Frank and Helen's lives turn out following the end of the novel. Be sure to address:

1) How you feel the character traits of Frank and Helen will determine their futures.

2) Whether or not you think Frank and Helen will marry, and why.

3) Whether you feel the author intends the reader to have a positive or negative impression of Frank and Helen's lives following the end of the story, and why.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay describing your vision of the ideal lifestyle. Be sure to address:

1) What you feel are the most important aspects of a good lifestyle, and what to avoid.

2) How one can attain the ideal lifestyle, and how realistic this lifestyle is.

3) How THE ASSISTANT by Bernard Malamud has influenced your view of the ideal lifestyle.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 879 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample