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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 Wallilij do occasionally as he listens to the newspaper account?

2. What does the resolution that the reader signed demand?

3. Who is in the room to which Rubashov is taken for his third hearing?

4. What temptation does Rubashov say he has overcome?

5. What did Rubashov believe when he worked for the party as a boy?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Prisoner 402 say about capitulation? What does Rubashov think of this belief?

2. What verdict is reached on Rubashov's charges? What evidence is presented?

3. What does Rubashov think about the party as he is waiting to be executed?

4. What does Rubashov say some of his ideas could cause?

5. What is Rubashov’s response about Arlova when the prosecutor asks about her? What does the prosecutor say to Rubashov about Arlova?

6. What does Rubashov confess to in the beginning? What is Gletkin’s response to this?

7. What does the reactionary peasant do to end up in prison?

8. What does Rubashov’s diary entry at the beginning of the Third Hearing contain?

9. What does Rubashov realize about his relationship with Gletkin? Why does he think this?

10. What does Rubashov ask for when he is taken before Gletkin for Rubashov’s third hearing? What is Gletkin’s response?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Although women were supposedly liberated along with the men during the revolution, all the of the top leaders of the revolution and those in power were men. One of the women most written about is Arlova, Rubashov’s secretary at one time. She ends up being executed because she allowed Rubashov to use her as he liked.

Discuss the treatment of women in Darkness at Noon. Could the novel be considered sexist?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following:

Trace and analyze the theme of political philosophy in Darkness at Noon. Consider the following questions as you write: Examine which characters are most concerned with political philosophy and about what their concern is centered. How does political philosophy drive the plot? How is political philosophy responsible for the ultimate fate of Rubashov?

Trace and analyze the theme of individualism in Darkness at Noon. Which characters struggle with this issue? Why? How is Rubashov’s suppression of his individualism responsible for Rubashov’s death? Why might a Communist state attempt to eradicate individualism?

Essay Topic 3

Rubashov ultimately talks himself into believing he is guilty of crimes against the state.

Discuss Rubashov’s reasoning that leads him to decide he is guilty of crimes against the state. Do you think, with his line of thinking, he is correct? Use examples from Darkness at Noon to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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