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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. A young female graduate student reveals to Oedipa that ________ drowned himself in the Pacific Ocean two days ago.

2. Stanley Koteks tells Oedipa ________________ is a "symptom of the gutlessness of the whole society."

3. What is Stanley Koteks doodling when Oedipa comes up to his desk?

4. Whose address in Berkeley does Stanley Koteks give to Oedipa?

5. Bortz hands Oedipa an ancient book about the _________ travels of Dr. Diocletian Blobb.

Short Essay Questions

1. What causes Oedipa to realize that every source of information on the Tristero can somehow be traced to Inverarity?

2. In addition to visiting John Nefastis, why does Oedipa need to go to Berkeley?

3. Give examples of individuals with the post horn symbol who are somehow alienated from society.

4. By gathering clues from diverse obscure sources, what is the account of how the Tristero organization began that Oedipa pieces together?

5. What is meant by Oedipa seeing Genghis Cohen, the philatelist, framed in a long succession of doorways?

6. Why does Oedipa consider her job as co-executor to be similar to Driblette's job as director of a play?

7. What is Pynchon ridiculing through all of Oedipa's in-depth research into the Trystero?

8. The overall crisis Oedipa faces by the end of the novel could be summed up how?

9. What is the story behind the religious splinter group known as the Scurvhamites that Professor Bortz tells Oedipa about?

10. Why does Oedipa think it is possible that her search for Tristero may be a hoax created by Pierce Inverarity?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the myth of Echo and Narcissus? How is it represented in the setting, characters and themes of The Crying of Lot 49?

Essay Topic 2

Fate is a dominant theme in The Crying of Lot 49. 1) Discuss this theme throughout the novel. 2) How is Oedipa trying to find out the fate of America, not just her own fate?

Essay Topic 3

Pynchon bases Oedipa Maas on the Greek Myth of Oedipus.

1) Give a synopsis of the Oedipus Myth.

2) Compare the character of Oedipa to that of Oedipus. How are their struggles similar? What larger theme is Pynchon conveying with the use of the myth?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 971 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample