View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who rings the doorbell looking for the narrator?

2. With what does the the shop owner threaten Friedrich?

3. What does the narrator ask of Mr. Schneider?

4. What has left Mr. Schneider?

5. Who addresses the meeting?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does this scene about the broken window portend?

2. What does the narrator's father do that is equally as courageous as what his son does in the last chapter?

3. Explain the situation with Frau Penk and why she gives up her position with Mrs. Schneider.

4. What are the indications that the narrator's family is not as well to do as Friedich's family?

5. What first appears in this chapter and what is the context?

6. What is ominous about the image of Herr Schneider coming down the street and the news he brings?

7. Summarize what the teacher says about Jewish history.

8. How does the teacher demonstrate his sympathy for the Jews and for Friedrich in particular?

9. What does this situation with Frau Penk demonstrate?

10. What is the landlord's reason for telling the Schneiders they have to vacate and does the reason seem fair?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the chapter named "Grandfather," Grandfather inspects the hands before he will shake them and the bottoms of his shoes for proper polishing. He assumes the position at the head of the table and never fails to remind Father of his failure to take care of his family. Answer of the following questions in a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. How does the Grandfather attempt to control his son and his son's family? Give specific examples.

2. What do you think is the main reason for this attempt at control?

3. How do you think the grandfather's personality might be a metaphor for the "personality" of the Nazi regime?

Essay Topic 2

The chapter titled "The Movie" is very significant in understanding how the German people came to be active Jew persecutors or at the very least placidly compliant in the slaughter and persecution of Jews. Choose one of the following questions and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. Research the movie Sweet Jew and do a critical analysis of the content.

2. Research the history of the German film industry from its internationally acclaimed status in the early part of the 20th century to its decline in quality when it began being used by the Nazi party for the dissemination of propaganda. Write an essay chronicling the changes.

3. How are movies still used to support and promote certain political or social agendas? Write an essay discussing this topic.

Essay Topic 3

1. The book Friedrich does not go into the horror of concentration camps or the wholesale murder of millions of Jews (and other unacceptable people), yet there are plenty of tragic events that point the way to the larger event that is the Holocaust. Why do you think the author chose to address the issue of the Holocaust in this way? (Keep in mind of the intended audience). Is the author's approach effective? Does it reveal enough of the tragedy of the events of Nazi Germany to convince a reader of the extent of Germany's genocide of a group of people?

2. Research pre-WWII Germany and write an essay about the reasons that Germany is vulnerable to the extent that it is willing to go down the path of mass murder. Does anything justify the German people's actions?

3. Research the aftermath of Germany's actions in pre-WWII and WWII in its concentration camps. Do you think Germany received just retribution? Why or why not? What do you think should have happened to Germany?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,458 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample