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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 attends Frau Consul's funeral?

2. What does Tom do when Tony refuses to go back to Munich?

3. Why is James Mollendorf of interest to Tom?

4. How does Tom feel during the election running against Hermann Hagenstrom?

5. Where does Gieseke keep a house for his mistress?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens during the war in "Part VII"?

2. How does Tom become a merchant senator?

3. What does Tom do in "Part VI" when he begins to take his political career seriously?

4. What happens when Frau Consul becomes ill in "Part IX"?

5. What is Tom's first impression of Permaneder?

6. What happens after Tom sells the family house?

7. How does Tony feel about the marriage of her daughter?

8. What things occur to end the marriage between Tony and Permaneder?

9. What happens during the celebration for the Buddenbrook firm in "Part VIII"?

10. What makes Tom fire Christian from the business?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the symbolism of the Buddenbrook home. Discuss it from the time it was purchased by the family until its sale.

Essay Topic 2

What is the commentary on marriage in this novel? Analyze the basis of marriages, and use specific marriages from the novel to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 3

How does this novel work to define what good character traits are? What is significant about these attributes?

(see the answer keys)

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