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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 turns off the student about Kristyna when she arrives?

2. What does Tamina try to recreate?

3. How is Tamina's situation similar to her husband's when he was ill?

4. Who is Tamina?

5. What is Kristyna to the student?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Why do you think Kundera blurs historical moments?

3. What is the meaning of the word litost?

4. Who does Kristyna meet and what attracts her to this person?

5. What happens to Kundera's father in Part 6 and what do you think is the significance of Kundera writing about what happens to his father?

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

7. Where does the student go the day before Kristyna arrives and how does this affect the interaction between Kristyna and the student?

8. To what do Kristyna and the student agree and what is the outcome? What does the student's evaluation of Kristyna tell the reader?

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

10. Who is Kristyna?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In Part 4, we learn that shortly after her husband's death, Tamina swallows a bottle of prescription pills and swims out into the sea. Rather than become sleepy and sink, she instead becomes revitalized and finds a treasured silence within her. She comes back to shore and continues to live. Discuss the following:

1. Is Tamina performing an act of forgetting or remembering by her suicide attempt?

2. What do you think is the silence Tamina finds within herself? Do you think it is a positive thing? Why or why not?

3. When Tamina comes back to shore and continues to live, what do you think is the quality of her life? Explain with details from the text.

Essay Topic 2

In Part 5, Litost, Kundera introduces us to the concept of litost, which is a Czech word that means a state of torment created by the sudden sight of one's own misery.

1. Explain more fully the concept of litost and give five examples of litost from throughout the book.

2. Though litost is a Czech word, do you think people in other countries experience litost?

3. Do you think litost is necessary to be a great poet and/or philosopher? Why or why not?

4. What do you think litost is called in the English language?

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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