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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 Ida hate to touch?

2. What book is Helen reading on the subway?

3. Who has Ida been having dreams about?

4. What does Morris worry about when he is alone?

5. What does Ida suspect?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Morris feel about owning the store?

2. How is business at the store improving? Why?

3. What is the difference between Nat Pearl and Louis Karp?

4. How does Ida feel about Frank? Is her opinion of him changing?

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

6. What does Morris do for the young girl? What does this tell you about his character?

7. Describe the relationship between the old woman and the Bobers.

8. Why does Ida resent Morris and their current situation? What responsibility does she have for the state of their lives?

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

10. How does Frank get a chance to talk to Helen? How does Helen react?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay on the use of dreams and dream sequences in THE ASSISTANT. Be sure to address:

1) The role of dreams in the novel.

2) Examples of how dreams have influenced characters and foreshadowed events.

3) What you feel the role of dreams are in our everyday lives.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay on the death of Morris Bober. Be sure to address:

1) Why you feel the author decided to 'kill off' Morris.

2) The message and meaning behind Morris' death.

3) The importance of the timing of Morris' death.

4) How Morris' death affected you personally as a reader.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay on the character strengths and weaknesses of Morris Bober. Be sure to address:

1) How Morris character traits influence his past and present life.

2) How Morris views and responds to the world and opportunities around him.

3) Whether or not you feel Morris is a tragically flawed character, and why (with evidence from the text).

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 973 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample