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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. Who is Zacharie?

3. How does Léon Grégoire make his money?

4. How does Chaval feel about Catherine?

5. What does Chaval do as Etienne is getting ready to kiss Catherine?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the company seem after the killing of the miners by the soldiers and what does it say?

2. What happens to the strike of the miners as time goes by?

3. What do the miners demand of Mr. Hennebeau?

4. How do the miners feel about Etienne Lantier and what do they do about it?

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

6. How is Chaval feeling about Catherine and Lantier with Etienne living there and what does he do about it?

7. Describe how Germinal starts out.

8. What do the miners do once the visitors leave?

9. What does Etienne tell Catherine about himself on his first day of work?

10. What has La Maheude troubled and what does she do about it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The fourth part of the novel outlines the positions of the two camps involved in the growing conflict - the miners and the Company's representatives.

1. Why do you think the mine owners are unwilling to listen to the miners?

2. Do you think the miners were demanding too much from the mine owners? Why or why not?

3. If you were a negotiator between these two groups how would you attempt to forge an agreement?

Essay Topic 2

In the first chapter, everything is set in the dark of night; the only lighting is provided either by the moonlight or by the fire burning inside the chunks of coal.

1. Why do you think GERMINAL starts at night?

2. How does the dark relate to the book's themes?

3. Did you see any foreshadowing from the darkness in the beginning of the book? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

In the end, the idealist Étienne Lantier traversed the world of the Voreux and though accomplished little in terms of actual gains, he left the miners with a will to fight; the seed of this may eventually grow and burst again through the infertile ground of the mining pit.

1. Do you think this book ended with any shred of hope? Why or why not?

2. If you had been a miner in this situation do you think you would try again? Why or why not?

Use examples from the book to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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