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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. Who was Mutschmann's cell mate in prison?

2. Where did Paul Pfarr spend a lot of time at that Gunther discovers?

3. How many letters had the publisher acquired before talking to Gunther?

4. Where does the trail of letters lead Gunther to?

5. Who is missing that Gunther becomes frantic about?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Inge.

2. When Gunther goes to the morgue, what does he learn about Grete?

3. Describe the German Strength.

4. Where does Gunther go in search of the diamond necklace and what does he find?

5. What is the information Gunther has to begin his case involving the murder of teenage girls in Berlin?

6. What did the German Strength group need from Bock and Mutschmann and what happened to them?

7. Why is Reinhard Lange being blackmailed?

8. What does Gunther find in Haupthandler's apartment and what does this indicate?

9. Why does Hermann Six want Gunther's services?

10. How did Mutschmann double-cross Dieter?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the role of women in Germany in the 1940s and 1950s when the women in Berlin Noir are living their lives. What precedents do they feel compelled to follow? What restrictions do they have? How is this different from women in other European countries at the time and in America? For example, when Inge is not allowed to work despite her experience, what does this reveal about the German Reich and their principles for society? What freedoms, if any, did they have that women today do not have?

Essay Topic 2

The author uses more than one iteration on the motif of life-death-life. Identify at least two motifs about life-death-life in the book. Then cite an example to support each answer.

Essay Topic 3

Create a brief character study of Bernhard Gunther. What does he look like? What are his positive personality traits? What are some of his negative characteristics? What are his hopes and fears? What motivates him at this point in his life?

(see the answer keys)

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