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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 Irene order when she goes to the bar in Act 2, Scene 1?

2. When does the play, Idiot's Delight, take place?

3. As Sherwood uses the guests in the hotel to illustrate the various dispositions of countries at the time, what do the Cherrys represent?

4. How do Mr. and Mrs. Cherry seem to the other hotel guests in Act 1?

5. As Weber explains to Irene, what is vulnerable now that the planes have left?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Irene's reaction to Weber's betrayal and why is it significant?

2. How do Quillery's earlier remarks to Doctor Waldersee come into play after we learn about the doctor's change in destination?

3. What is interesting about the exchange between Irene and the captain towards the end of the play?

4. What is the relevance of the hotel's location to the play's story?

5. Why does Quillery object to Weber's line of work and what is his theory on who is paying for it?

6. What is Weber's decision in Act 3, and how does it affect Irene's fate?

7. What is a possible motivation for Irene's reaction to Weber's business practices?

8. What does the captain announce at the end of Act 1, and how does Harry respond?

9. Where is Harry coming from, where is he traveling to when his train is stopped, and why?

10. What does the captain tell Harry about Irene's situation and how does it affect the way Harry might look at it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the contradicting messages that Harry gets in Act 3 from the captain and Irene. Is the captain trying to reassure Harry for his own personal sake or is it to ease Harry's mind? How does Irene convince Harry that she is in danger? What do the reasons she provides mean to the plot?

Essay Topic 2

In the final act, Irene tells Harry about her feelings for him and who she really is.

1) Why does Sherwood wait until the end of the play for Irene to reveal her identity to Harry and confirm his suspicions about her? What is the dramatic literary effect of this?

2) Describe a possible scenario of what could have happened if she had told him earlier. Would it have prevented her dilemma? Why or why not?

3) Explain why it was necessary for Irene to be in this amount of danger in order for her to admit her identity. How did Harry's response influence her decision?

Essay Topic 3

Chronicle the character of Dr. Waldersee throughout the play. How has he changed? In what ways has he remained the same? Overall, is he the character who made the biggest change in plans? Why or why not? What statement does his decision make at the end of the play? What does it say about his professional integrity and values in general? Why was his character chosen to represent Germany in the play?

(see the answer keys)

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