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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 is the name of the theatrical journal in Warsaw?

2. What is one reason Julian and Ryszard chose the spot they had for the commune?

3. What is the name of the new eau de cologne in New York?

4. What is the name of the circus that comes to the village?

5. Who is waiting for Maryna when she arrives in San Francisco?

Short Essay Questions

1. During his monologue, Edwin tells Marina why he suffers. What explanations does he give for his suffering? Would he rather not suffer?

2. What story does Ryszard write based on the events at the circus? What is his purpose for writing his story?

3. In Chapter Eight, Bogdan explains to Maryna he saw a flying machine on the beach in California. Who is with Bogdan when he sees the plane? Who owns the plane? What does it look like? What is the significance of Bogdan's interest in a flying machine?

4. How does Maryna compare her partners on the commune to actors?

5. What does Edwin Booth have in his possession named Philo Perkins? What is the story behind Philo Perkins?

6. Maryna and her family travel back to Poland to see their friends and family. How does the author tell the story of their trip? What comes across in the description of the visit? What important pieces of information are presented?

7. In his love letter to Maryna in which he asks her to travel with him, Ryzard refers to Jack Goodyear, a squatter Ryszard has met in the mountains. Jack Goodyear explains to Ryszard that "sometimes it seems to him as though there were two Jacks." What does Goodyear mean by this?

8. In Chapter Seven, the narrator says "and she would tell many lies." Why does Maryna begin to tell lies? What does she lie about? What are some of the lies she tells and to whom?

9. Edwin Booth talks about his father and his brother, John Booth. What does he reveal about these two important figures in his life?

10. How does Booth treat Maryna in his monologue? Why does she suffer his verbal abuses?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Throughout the novel, Maryna is comparing the commune to a marriage. What does she mean by this? How are the two similar in her mind? How are they different?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

As Maryna plays to packed theatres in America with her own actors, she reflects on what it means to be a success in America. How does she describe success in America?

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