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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. How does Hubl say you can "liquidate its people"?

2. Why does the student settle into litost?

3. Who are two other people Kundera blurs the historic moments of?

4. What do the poets do to the student's view of Kristyna?

5. What entices Kristyna?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Tamina ask Bibi to get for her in Prague and why does Tamina make the request?

2. How is Kundera's father's attempt to understand Beethoven undertaken by Kundera?

3. Briefly describe a few of the most salient points about Tamina.

4. How is Tamina's situation where Raphael takes her similar to her husband's situation just before he dies?

5. What conditions have to exist for graphomania to blossom?

6. Discuss what graphomania is and how it is used in the context of this chapter.

7. How is Tamina's eventual suicide symbolic?

8. What character's life is again addressed in part 6 and how is her life dismissed in a sense?

9. Where does Tamina go with Raphael?

10. Why do you think Kundera blurs historical moments?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

THE BOOK OF LAUGHTER AND FORGETTING could be considered a collection of short stories related thematically. Discuss one of the following:

1. Discuss the theme of laughter as it occurs in three of the parts. Analyze the theme and create a thesis about laughter with which you think Kundera would agree.

2. There is a saying, "Laughter is the Best Medicine." Agree or disagree with this statement as far as this book is concerned.

3. Discuss for which of the characters laughter is important and why. Give specific examples.

Essay Topic 2

In Part 2, "Mama," when Marketa learns of Karel's next date with a mistress, both she and Karel are angry. Discuss the following:

1. Discuss why you think both Karel and Marketa are angry.

2. How strong can a relationship be if both feel the need to have sexual liaisons with someone else? Explain fully.

3. Do you think Marketa and Karel's relationship can be salvaged? Explain fully.

Essay Topic 3

In Part 6, Kundera remarks that like Beethoven's final acts, his book is a novel on variations. It is a number of voyages leading into and through one theme. Discuss the following:

1. What is the one theme of this novel?

2. Explain the variations of the theme giving specific examples.

3. Do you think there are other themes besides the one Kundera has in mind? What are they? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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