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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. Which of the following characters screams that there is a thief in the house when Kopyrda is heard in Zuta's bedroom?

2. How many spectators are at the tennis match?

3. Which of the following characters frequently takes a cold shower in the morning rather than a bath?

4. Which of the following words is not one Joey writes on the wall of the Youngbloods' bathroom?

5. What does the narrator claim all stories are broken down into?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Kneadus react when he sees the farmhand he has been searching for working at Auntie's house?

2. What happens when Joey and Kneadus reach the edge of the city in their search for the farmhand?

3. How does Joey feel about the decorations in Mrs. Youngblood's bedroom?

4. What causes the epileptic seizure that frightens the crowd of spectators at the tennis match?

5. How does Mrs. Youngblood react when she realizes that Joey is in love with Zuta?

6. How does Mr. Youngblood react to the scene he walks into in Zuta's bedroom while looking for thieves?

7. How does the narrator explain his beliefs that all art is an imitation?

8. What does the narrator of the novel believe is the worst form of torture in the world?

9. What happens when Pimko also arrives outside Zuta's window while Kopyrda is still inside?

10. What does the narrator of the novel think about symmetry?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The narrator of this novel often interjects his opinions of what is going on and speaks directly to the reading audience. What is accomplished by employing this type of intrusive narrator? What is lost? As a reader, describe your reaction to reading a narrator like this. What did his opinions add to the novel? What did they distract from? Choose at least two examples of scenes from the text that you believe best exemplify and strengthen your argument and describe those scenes in this essay.

Essay Topic 2

Kneadus's main goal for the entire novel is to locate and connect with the farmhand. First, describe the character of the farmhand. What makes this character so desirable to outsiders? Then, describe how Kneadus finally met the farmhand he was searching for. What was the outcome of this meeting? Finally, describe the outside reaction to the idea that a master could befriend a servant. How did this reaction directly affect the relationship between Kneadus and his farmhand?

Essay Topic 3

Art, and writing in particular, is an theme central in the novel. What argument is the novel trying to make about structure. According to this book, what makes a good novel? What relationship should the author of the book have with its audience? How does the narrator of this novel feel about traditional form narration and how do you see that opinion reflected in the text? Choose at least two examples of scenes from the text that you believe best exemplify and strengthen your argument and describe those scenes in this essay.

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