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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 the note that Helen slips Frank say?

2. When will the grocery store around the corner re-open?

3. What does Frank not do after Morris tells him to leave?

4. When will Morris be without a business for the first time in decades?

5. What does Frank buy after being told to leave the store?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Frank intend to beat the Norwegians?

2. How does Morris nearly die? Who saves him?

3. How are Helen's feelings for Frank changing?

4. How does Morris view his luck in this chapter?

5. Describe Helen and Frank's arguments about sex, and how they are resolved.

6. What options are left open for the Bobers and their store?

7. How does Frank plan on convincing Morris to let him stay?

8. What is the skinny man's proposition? What does Morris do?

9. How does Helen feel about Frank not being Jewish?

10. Describe the nightmare Morris has. What do you think it means?

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 topic of poverty, choosing your own focus for the subject. Recommended points to touch upon are:

1) The prevalence of poverty in the industrialized world.

2) Current policies and programs in place for fighting poverty, and their level of effectiveness.

3) Policy ideas for tackling poverty.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay on crime and criminals in THE ASSISTANT. Be sure to address:

1) Criminal acts that are carried out or planned in the novel.

2) How you feel the author intends readers to view the criminal behavior of characters in the novel.

3) How prevalent the crimes described in the novel are in the real world, and the punishments that these crimes carry.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 992 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample