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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 do the men purchase in the village before leaving Zakopane?
2. What is Brook Farm?
3. What does Maryna realize about her ex-husband?
4. In what theatre does Maryna normally perform?
5. Why does the captain of the ship ask Ryszard not to go to the steerage section again?
Short Essay Questions
1. While finishing his article on the transatlantic journey, Ryszard goes to Caste Clinton to see how the steerage passengers are experiencing their introduction to their new home. What does he see there? Why is this important?
2. On his passage to America, Ryszard spends time listening to English speaking passengers. He meets many Americans. How does he describe the American attitude about their country? How does this differ from the way Ryszard sees himself as a Pole?
3. Maryna explains to Henryk why they are traveling to California by ship. What are the reasons? What is the faster way to get to California from New York? How does the trip go?
4. In Chapter Four, Maryna explains that in some places, the oldest is best. However, in America she says "biggest is best." What does she mean by this? What does she see that supports her observation? Is she displeased by this?
5. In Chapter One, what scene does Maryna give Krystyna to act out? Why?
6. While Maryna and her husband are busy selling their house and preparing to leave for America, a member of Maryna's family dies. Who is this person, and why is the death so upsetting for Maryna? Who else is present at the death? Where does Maryna go after the death?
7. What are some of the toasts given at the celebration dinner table? To whom are they directed? What is Bogdan's toast about? Maryna's?
8. While hiding at the celebration party, the narrator pieces together the people in the room and the subject of their discussions. What does she gather about the people in the room and the plan underway?
9. Henryk's farewell gift to Maryna when she leaves for America is a book. What is the title of the book, and what is Maryna's response to the book?
10. Maryna relates the story of her childhood to various people in Chapter One. Discuss her childhood and the influences on her life.
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
As Maryna returns to the theatre, she begins to once again reinvent herself for this life in America. How does she do this? How calculated are her lies and fabrications? What has she learned about Americans and their heroes?
Essay Topic 2
In the opening chapter, the narrator says "the past is the biggest country of all" and expresses the wish to set stories in the past. Discuss this quote and it's relevance to the novel.
Essay Topic 3
When Bogdan and Maryna go to say farewell to Bogdan's grandmother the Countess, she gives them this piece of advice: "don't invent too many reasons for what you have decided to do!" Have Bogdan and Maryna invented many reasons? What are they? Why are they going to America?
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This section contains 1,356 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) |
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