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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 did Proust do in response to the newspaper article about the young boy who murdered his mom?

2. What question does De Botton ask after he discusses Proust's father's work?

3. What was Proust allergic to?

4. What were Proust's main passions?

5. What would Proust probe the train timetable for?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Proust see the purpose of great writer's is?

2. Discuss the narrator and Gilberte from "In Search of Lost Time" and what their interaction demonstrates in real life.

3. How did Proust's friends feel about Proust's relationship with his mother?

4. What are the dangers of reading?

5. How does De Botton believe Proust felt about his father?

6. Describe how Proust's friends think of him according to the quotes in Chapter 6.

7. What question does De Botton wonder about the artist and his work?

8. What did Proust argue was most couple's problem falling out of love?

9. How did Proust feel about Claude Monet?

10. Describe Proust's opinion of newspapers.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss and describe Proust's writing style and the effect it had on other forms of art.

Essay Topic 2

Explain and describe how it is congruent with Proust's character for him to appreciate and value Impressionist art.

Essay Topic 3

Explain and discuss how Proust demonstrates the ability to release his true opinions about his friends without ever even saying a word about or to them.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 600 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample