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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 John claim Alfred Nobel invented in Chapter 32?

2. How does John describe the aesthetic of Ilium, New York, in Chapter 13?

3. What was the name of the man that Dr. Breed describes as having been executed for committing 26 murders in Chapter 13?

4. Who is the eccentril elevator operator that John encounters in Chapter 28?

5. What does Dr. Breed's secretary say "God really is" in Chapter 26?

Short Essay Questions

1. What project does Dr. Breed describe Dr. Hoenikker working on at the time of his death? What was Dr. Hoenikker's objective?

2. What is meant by Mrs. Minton's remarks on indexing in Chapter 55?

3. How is the character of Sherman Krebbs used as a means to satire in the novel?

4. How is Bokonon's history and arrival at San Lorenzo described in Chapter 48?

5. How does fate bring the narrator to San Lorenzo?

6. What statements does the author make about nihilism in Chapter 36?

7. What information does Newt relate about his siblings in his letter in Chapter 5?

8. What is significant about the metaphor of cannonballs in the narrative?

9. What does John discover about San Lorenzo from the advertising supplement in the newspaper in Chapter 37?

10. What irony is revealed in Dr. Breed's assessments of Ilium's history in Chapter 13?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss the history of Bokonon. How did Bokonon end up on San Lorenzo? Who was he with when he arrived? How did Bokonon gain control of the island? What did he institute once he gained control?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and analyze the character of Franklin Hoenikker in Cat's Cradle. How is Frank described as a child and a young man? What are the impressions of the narrator when he finally meets Frank? What is Frank's main role in the plot of the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the character of John as the protagonist of Cat's Cradle. What attributes does John exhibit that make him a protagonist? Who or what is the antagonist of the narrative? What heroic attributes and tragic flaws are represented by John?

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