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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 in all of the boxes in the old woman's house?

2. In "Falling in Love," who does Alex think he has found?

3. Who thinks "This is love . . When you notice someone's absence and hate that absence more than anything" (121)?

4. Why are the Gypsy girl and Safran unable to be together?

5. When the old woman's father was told to do something or his wife would be shot, what did he do?

Short Essay Questions

1. With everything that has happened to Jonathan, Alex, and Grandfather, even Grandfather goes through some significant changes. In "An Overture to Illumination," Grandfather makes the waitress apologize to Jonathan. Why? What is different about Grandfather? How and why has he changed?

2. What does Jonathan tell Alex about his grandmother while waiting for Grandfather and the old woman? What do Jonathan and his grandmother have in common?

3. Although the novel does not say it directly, based on what is written in the Book of Antecedents, what can we assume Brod asked the Kolker to do? Why would she ask this?

4. Alex has changed throughout the novel. Identify how he has changed by the time he writes "Letter Dated 24 December 1997." What do you think brought about the change?

5. How does the Kolker change in "The Dial, 1941-1804-1941"?

6. Why is it ironic that Safran asks his great-great-great-grandfather to not "let me hate who I become" (141)?

7. Safran does not consummate his relationship until his wedding night. What does this suggest about his relationships with other women?

8. Does the old woman in "Falling in Love" know Jonathan's grandfather? What does she tell Jonathan?

9. Why does Alex send back the money that Jonathan sent him? Why is he angry?

10. Is Jonathan a reliable narrator? Defend your response.

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

This novel is a historical fiction, which means that even though the story itself is not true, some of the events or people involved are real. For example, there most likely was never a Safran and if there was, he probably was not writing love notes to a Gypsy girl. However, the war that is in in the newspapers from which Safran cuts the letters out did happen. World War II did come to the Ukraine and many Jewish people were killed as they were in the novel. Research the Ukraine's involvement in World War II. When was it invaded? What happened to the Jewish people? What happened to the Gypsies? What did it do the Ukraine? What is the Ukraine like today? Answer these questions in a research paper. At the end of your research, analyze the accuracy of Foer's novel.

Essay Topic 3

The novel Everything is Illuminated tells three stories. Each story is distinct, yet they all intersect. How are the stories connected? What themes or ideas are prominent in all three? What is the point of each story? Is there a good reason for telling all three stories instead of just one? Is it effective? Discuss why or why not.

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