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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. How did Clamence get across bridges after he heard the laugh?

2. What does Clamence realize about the woman that deceives him?

3. Who does Clamence gesture to in the bar?

4. What does Clamence say he is successful with?

5. What would Clamence's cards read?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what way does Clamence show himself to be a narcissist?

2. Why does Clamence say he strives to be selfless?

3. In what way is Clamence two faced?

4. Describe the Mexico City bar.

5. How does Clamence see himself?

6. In what way does Clamence compare Amsterdam to Dante's circles of hell?

7. Describe Clamence's experience on the Pont de Arts.

8. How is Clamence's role as a deus ex machina an accurate metaphor for his work with the demoralized criminals of Paris?

9. What does Clamence say his sign would be?

10. How does the narrator describe the bartender?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The novel is set in Amsterdam.

1) What meaning does Amsterdam bring to the novel? What would you automatically presume about a novel that was set in Amsterdam?

2) How different do you think today's Amsterdam is to the Amsterdam in the novel? How do you think the novel's meaning would change if it were set in today's Amsterdam?

3) How do you think the Amsterdam settings of the novel contributes to the novel's philosophy?

Essay Topic 2

Look at the structure of the novel.

1) Discuss elements of the narrative structure; Exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the novel's themes?

2) Away from the narrator examine the way Camus uses the other characters in the story. In what way do they help Clamence get his view across to the reader?

Essay Topic 3

What is Clamence referring to when he states a death of a person brings them closer to us? Is this statement specific to his own personality or is he trying to attribute it to society in general?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 815 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample