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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. Where does Elias go after his initial education?

2. How much are the Palestinians that are removed from their land compensated?

3. What does Faraj say is the problem with Western theology?

4. How did the native Jewish inhabitants feel about the actions of the Zionists?

5. Why does Israel heed the United States's wishes?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where and when did Elias Chacour grow up and what did his family do for a living?

2. How did Elias's teachers view him at the seminary and why?

3. What happens in Palestine when the United Nations steps into the conflict?

4. What did Elias begin to do after so many people were taken from the village of Gish? What did he believe about the situation?

5. How did Elias and his friend find the studies in Paris?

6. Who was taken out of Gish from Elias's family and who was left?

7. Under whose rule was Palestine since the 1930's, what kind of people was the population, how did they get along and how did the residents feel about themselves after World War II?

8. Who did Elias become friends with at the orphanage and what happened when the two of them finished their studies there?

9. What would a current student of the Middle East find strange about Palestine in the late 1940's?

10. What did the Bishop suggest for Elias?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The narrator of the book is Elias Chacour, who writes from his own point of view as he experiences and hears about events concerning the formation of the State of Israel and the ongoing conflict concerning the problems that arise out of that formation. Discuss the following:

1. What is meant by a reliable or unreliable narrator? Which do you think Elias is? Why?

2. What would Elias gain by skewing the story of his life? Do you think the gain would be worth the potential cost if he were to be proven to be inaccurate?

3. Is any narrator of a "true" story totally reliable? What factors might affect the reliability of any autobiographical writer including Elias?

Essay Topic 2

As a youngster, Elias loves to hear about Jesus and his miracles from his mother. Discuss the following:

1. Trace and analyze the young Elias' religious involvement. How influential is his early religious life on who he becomes? Does his spirituality seem sincere? Why or why not?

2. Elias has difficulty understanding the Beatitudes. What are the Beatitudes? State them. Choose two of them to interpret in light of your own beliefs.

3. Discuss Elias' view of Jesus and how Elias comes to be either like or not like the image Elias holds of Jesus.

Essay Topic 3

Native Jewish inhabitants of Palestine expressed shock and dismay over the actions of the Zionists. Discuss the following:

1. About what were the native Jewish inhabitants expressing their dismay? Does their shock seem rationale?

2. Research and discuss how the native Jewish Palestinians respond to increased inhumane treatment by the Zionist of the Palestinians. Are any native Jewish people still protesting the situation for the Palestinians? Who? What are they saying?

3. Discuss the parallels in the establishing of Israel with the United States taking the native American's lands. Use specific examples from Blood Brothers and from your research.

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