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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 Selifan do for Tchitchikov?

2. With how many servants does Tchitchikov travel?

3. How far does Manilov say his house is from town?

4. What is Tchitchikov's most attractive feature?

5. How many dead souls does Plyushkin own?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Tchitchikov ask the servant at the hotel?

2. How does Tchitchikov spend his first day in N?

3. Why is Plyushkin so miserable?

4. How does Tchitchikov make himself feel better about not going after the young girl he meets?

5. How does Tchitchikov end up at Madame Korobotcha's house?

6. Why does Tchitchikov tell Nozdroyov that he wants dead souls?

7. How does Sobakevitch speak about the people with whom Tchitchikov has become friends?

8. Describe Plyushkin's estate.

9. How does Tchitchikov feel when looking at his list of acquired souls?

10. Why does Petrushka smell bad?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Cite two instances where foreshadow is used in the novel. What can the reader guess is going to happen based on these instances? Why is foreshadow an important literary device for Gogol to use, especially considering the biased narrator telling the first part of the story?

Essay Topic 2

Explore the character Madame Korobotcha. What role does she play in the story? What is interesting about the way Tchitchikov treats her? How does Madame Korobotcha's role in the story help the reader to get a better idea about the motives and true nature of Tchitchikov?

Essay Topic 3

What is the significance of gossip in the story? How does gossip drive the plot? Which characters gossip? What does the author seem to be saying about gossip?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 621 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample