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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 conflict between Israel and Egypt at this time become known as?

2. What does Elias establish in Ibillin?

3. What does the Bishop tell Elias?

4. What does the Israeli government do in response to Elias' growing fame?

5. What is Ibillin?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened in another village because of Elias's intercession? What did Elias do when he was given a gift?

2. What does Elias first decide to do about the church in Ibillin? How does his efforts work?

3. What was the reality about the Palestinians that Elias had to face in the last 1960's?

4. What does Elias Chacour hope about his book?

5. What does Chacour call upon the nations who war and why does he see it as an insult to God?

6. What happened about the massacre in question number 50?

7. What did Elias finally do in the church at Ibillin and what was the result?

8. What type of personal epiphany did Elias have at Ibillin and what did he decide?

9. Why did the Bishop have an appointment with Elias and what was Elias's feelings about it?

10. What was Elias doing when he knew what work remained for him and what was that work?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Elias found himself seeking out longer periods of solitude, talking to Jesus and praying for the safe return of the village men and boys. It was during this time that he began to feel that the message from Jesus was peace, and he offered himself to that end, if he could be of use. Discuss the following:

1. Most governments and individuals profess to desire peace, yet it seems almost impossible to obtain. What is the reason for the discrepancy between wanting peace and it not happening?

2. Are there some people who really do not want peace? Discuss fully both with examples from the book and other situations.

3. If the world were totally peaceful, would it be as interesting? Why or why not? Discuss fully both with examples from the book and other situations.

Essay Topic 2

While the Irgun attempts at eliminating the men of the community is going on, Katoub, Elias' mother, becomes the "rock" of the village, gathering her strength from prayer and faith, consoling and encouraging the other women of the village. Discuss one the following:

1. Do you think women are often the spiritual force behind the men in life? Why or why not? Use examples from the book and your own experience. If women had been making the decisions for both sides, how might things have been different?

2. Why do you think women are rarely mentioned in Chacour's book? He enters a totally male profession also, yet he says his mother has the greatest influence on him as a child. Are women valued in this culture? Why or why not? How are women viewed in general in the Middle East?

3. How are Israeli women viewed differently from those in the Arab countries that surround Israel?

Essay Topic 3

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?

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