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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 the name of the man from the American embassy?

2. Where had Stuckart been the mayor of?

3. What does Xavier find by the jetty?

4. What colour are the walls of the reception room where Frau Trinkl views the body?

5. Where does Xavier try to escape from?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the Schwanenwerder?

2. Describe Xavier March's apartment.

3. What role in the art-smuggling ring did Stuckart play?

4. What are the three possible solutions Xavier poses as solutions to Buhler's death?

5. How are the Reich security forces organized?

6. Describe Xavier's office in the Kripo headquarters.

7. What led Jost to finding Buhler's corpse?

8. How has the Unter den Linden changed since 1936 in the novel?

9. What was Rudi Halder's professional career?

10. How had Germany achieved peace with the United States?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What are the main turning points of the book? How does Harris develop his story to get to each turning point? Do you think that Harris successfully builds up the tension in the book to reach the final climax?

Essay Topic 2

In 1994, a TV film of the book was made by HBO. What are the main differences between the novel and the film version? Why do you think the filmmakers adapted these points differently to the author? Do you think the film is effective in telling the story of Fatherland?

Essay Topic 3

Examine the twist ending. Do you think Max Jaeger's betrayal was inevitable? Choose one scene in the book involving both Max and Xavier and discuss how the twist ending changes your perception of that scene.

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