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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 Sammy Davis Junior, Junior do to the shirt that she was given to look official?

2. What do the women of Trachimbrod call Brod behind her back?

3. Why does the Tolerable Rabbi call the winner "Kolker"?

4. What does Jonathan imagine Brod looks like?

5. When Alex picks up Jonathan, where does Jonathan say he wants to go?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Brod and her relationship with the townspeople.

2. Foer writes that Brod could "never be happy and honest at the same time" (79). What does this mean? Give examples from the text.

3. What ailment does Grandfather claim to have and why? How do you know he is lying?

4. Describe the relationship between Alex and his father.

5. When Alex first meets Jonathan, he is "flabbergasted by his appearance" (31). Why?

6. In "Falling in Love, 1791 -1796," we learn that Yankel's wife has left him. What are her motivations and what do you think of this?

7. Describe the origin of Trachimday.

8. What clues tell the reader that Brod is having a vision of the future in "Recurrent Secrets, 1791-1943"?

9. Describe how Yankel's feels when he finds out that he is going to be a father.

10. What is the relationship between Grandfather and Jonathan?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There are three interrelated stories in Everything is Illuminated. How are the stories connected? What is the major theme that binds them? Why tell the story in three parts? What does this accomplish?

Essay Topic 2

In the novel, Foer suggests that everything that ends begins again. Remember that the theme of rebirth does not necessarily have to do with physical rebirth. Their can also be spiritual, emotional, and symbolic rebirth. Discuss this theory and how Foer supports it. What does it mean? What does it teach?

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the characters of Lista and Grandfather. Do not focus on external characteristics, as these will be obvious. Instead, think about what kind of people they are. How do they handle pain? How do they feel about forgiveness? What kinds of life choices do they make? How do they live or not live?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,173 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample