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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 does the narrator watch as sundown approaches?

2. What sign is one man carrying outside Mr. Rosenthal's shop?

3. When is the narrator born?

4. What does Herr Resch yell at Friedrich?

5. How does the narrator explain the bumping noise above?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the first encounter the narrator remembers between him and Friedrich.

2. Do you think Herr Schneider should have listened to the narrator's father about leaving Germany?

3. What indications are there that Friedrich and his mother enjoy a good relationship?

4. Describe how the window is broken. Do you think the narrator shows courage in taking responsibility for breaking the window or is lying never acceptable?

5. Describe the conversation between Herr Schneider and the narrator's father about the Nazi party. Do you think the narrator's father is justified in joining the party?

6. Describe the proceedings in the court and their implications.

7. What does this situation with Frau Penk demonstrate?

8. What does Friedrich do after the verdict and what is the judge's response? Why do you think Friedrich responds the way he does?

9. What sort of celebration is there on the first day of school?

10. What does the narrator say when Herr Schneider asks him about the Jungvolk and how does Herr Schneider respond to the narrator's reply?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the chapter, "Conversations on the Stairs," we see the first example of the courage of the narrator's father, though he is, like most humans a mixture of seemingly conflicting emotions and behaviors. 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. Take one major character and show how the character is a mixture of both admirable and less-than-admirable traits. Why do you think this is so? Is anyone ever always one way or another?

2. Most of us have had the experience of doing something that was "not like us." We are fearful when we are usually brave, or vice versa. Mean when usually kind; pessimistic when usually optimistic, etc....Relate one or two incidents in your life when you did something that was not like you. Explain why you did it; whether you regret your choices, and if you would make the same choice again.

3. Choose several well-known politicians, celebrities or other persons who have done things that seemed out of character for that person, or did something completely opposite of what s/he indicated s/he intended. State the situations and analyze each situation, answering the same questions in number 2 above.

Essay Topic 2

In the chapter titled "The Swimming Pool," Friedrich returns to the pool, offering to tell the police about the thief, but is rebuffed. Answer the following questions and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. What happens to Friedrich while he is checking out from a day at the pool? What do you think is the reason for the attendant's vitriolic response to learning Friedrich is a Jew?

2. Why do you think Friedrich would be so careless about his claim check given the things that are going on around him and the fact that his id clearly shows he is Jewish?

3. Why do you think Friedrich returns to try to help the boy whose bike is stolen?

4. Would you have returned to try to help the police and boy recover the bike? If it were your bike, would you want useful information even if it were from someone you disliked?

Essay Topic 3

In the chapter titled, "The Teacher," Teacher Neudorf gives the students a brief account of the persecution of the Jews over the centuries. Answer the following questions and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. Why do you think Teacher Neudort knows so much about the history of the Jews? Do you think he studied Jewish history in order to cull through the lies and propaganda of the Nazi party?

2. After reading the brief history of the Jewish people in this chapter, did it change your perception of the Jewish people? If you are Jewish, how accurate does this history seem to you and how do you feel about what Teacher Neudort says?

3. After the brief enumeration of Jewish history, Neudort asks the students how Jews could be anything but crafty and sly, when everyone wants to torment them. How can they not be avaricious and deceitful when they never know when they will be robbed and dispossessed again? Does this seem to be suggesting that Neudort believes the stereotypes about the Jewish people but seems to think the Jews are justified in their shortcomings? Can an entire group of people all be crafy, sly, avaricious and deceitful? Does Neudort in a way just add to the students' prejudice of Jews?

(see the answer keys)

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