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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. Who is the overman who hires Étienne Lantier?

2. Where does Etienne Lantier arrive the night at the beginning of the novel?

3. What is the atmosphere like in the Maheu household?

4. How many grandchildren does Bonnemort have?

5. What do the miners decide to do when the company lowers their pay?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Etienne knows he can no longer control the crowd of miners at Voreux?

2. What does Deneulin ask of Chaval and what is the result?

3. Why were the Montsou miners angry at the Jean-Bart miners?

4. What do the Montsou miners do while the miners are working at the Jean-Bart mine?

5. What causes an accident in the mine after the miners go back to work?

6. What does Etienne see Jeanlin do one night and what does Etienne do and find out?

7. What do the women of the community try to get from Maigrat?

8. What happens in the mine with Chaval, Etienne and Catherine?

9. Describe Léon Grégoire and his life.

10. What does Lantier see Jeanlin do and how does he help the boy?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The situation is desperate, with the miners having no food or heat. Zola draws an analogy of lack of coal as a source of collective energy (for the houses), which is correlated with the lack of food, a source of personal energy (for the body).

1. Discuss two other analogies that Zola uses in the miners' situation.

2. Do you think Zola's analogies are meant to be ambivalent to be powerful? Why or why not?

3. Would he have strengthened his position better with more concrete writing?

Essay Topic 2

The triumphs of collectivism are short lived and their assurance follows the path of their deteriorating conditions of living.

1. Why and how do you think the triumphant collectivism of the miners being focused together deteriorated?

2. How do you think the focused collectivism of an organized body, such as an army, can remain stable as opposed to the miners?

3. Do you think organization and strong leadership are always necessary in order for a group to work together?

Use examples from the book to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

The first chapter also introduces the "monster," which is the huge cone-like structure set over the pit that is described as a beast ready to eat the men that slave for it.

1. How did you feel about the mine from the way Zola described it?

2. Using metaphors and analogy describe the mine as Zola sees it.

3. Why do you think Zola used metaphors in his descriptions?

(see the answer keys)

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