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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. Why does Nino respect Davide?

2. Ida imagines that Nino is angry with her, after his death, for what?

3. After venturing to the empty Ghetto, Ida dreams of searching for what object?

4. Scimo tells Useppe that he is too little to accompany Scimo where?

5. Who is Ninuccia?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do Useppe's feelings about newspapers change in 1945?

2. What relationship develops between Bella and Useppe in 1947?

3. What does Davide do, immediately after the war ends?

4. How does Ida feel about Useppe's frequent outings alone?

5. How does Bella save Useppe's life in 1947?

6. What does Davide say about Jesus, during his tavern lecture?

7. What happens to Hitler in 1945?

8. What health problem does Useppe develop in 1946, and how does he respond?

9. How does Ida feel about doctors?

10. What were the Nuremberg trials?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Gunther only appears twice in the novel, but plays a major role. Is he a sympathetic character? Why does the author choose to mix such pitiable qualities with such a hateful persona? Are Gunther's mistakes a result of his situation, or is he an inherently bad person? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 2

Nino is brazen and belligerent, obnoxious and disrespectful, but still a sympathetic character in many ways. Why does he behave the way he does toward his mother? Is he a bad person, or simply an immature boy with character flaws, trying to survive in a difficult situation? How do his feelings for his brother and dogs change the reader's perception of him? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 3

The author includes a great deal of history with the fiction in the novel. Why does she provide so much background information? How does it affect readers' interpretation and understanding of the novel? Why? Are there details in the novel which would be less clear if this information was not provided? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

(see the answer keys)

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