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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 is Alex hired to do?

2. What does Yankel wear that distinguishes him from everyone else?

3. Who is watching Brod when she finds Yankel?

4. What lie does Yankel tell himself?

5. Throughout the novel, who is Jonathan looking for?

Short Essay Questions

1. Sofiowka claims that the twin girls did not see anything. Do you believe him? Explain your position.

2. Why does Alex claim it would it be "cinchier" for Jonathan to follow his dream?

3. What is the relationship between Grandfather and Jonathan?

4. 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?

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

6. Describe Brod and her relationship with the townspeople.

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

8. Name two things Alex claims to be, but that we might suspect he is exaggerating. Explain your response.

9. Describe the relationship between Alex and his father.

10. By the end of "The Very Rigid Search," Alex has yelled at Jonathan twice. Describe these incidents. What is significant about these outbursts?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the beginning of the novel, Jonathan tells Alex not to change his mistakes because they make the story humorous. He says that it is "the only truthful way to tell a sad story" (53). Do you agree or disagree? Discuss the concept that being "humorous is the only truthful way to tell a sad story" (53). Use examples of how humor is used throughout the novel and explain how they lead to truth and how humor can help when telling a sad story.

Essay Topic 2

Throughout the novel, there is the concept that lies and deception are disastrous. This theme is shown in just about every relationship in the novel. Why do people lie? Who do they lie to and what is the effect? What does this mean? What is the author's purpose of including lies in the novel?

Essay Topic 3

What is love? This question has been asked by many playwrights, poets, and novelists. There are many different answers, and many of them are true. Jonathan Safran Foer is no exception and has written a novel about the depths of love and what true love is. This novel explores the absence of love, the definition of love, and the acceptance of love. Explore and analyze Foer's concept of love in an essay. Reference the novel to aid in your response.

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