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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 hereditary class does the narrator say Old Baron Olinski had brought his antique red leather boots to the New World to denote, in Part II: “In the Ogre’s Cave,” Chapter 5?

2. Whom does the traveler recall having said to him of his trip to Poland, “You really have no choice about it, do you?” in Part I: “A Guest of Poland,” Chapter 2?

3. What does Mr. Earwig say his first name is in Part II: “In the Ogre’s Cave,” Chapter 4?

4. What object does Dr. Olin recall “collapsing upon itself in an October field in the New England dusk” “as the loneliest thing he’d ever seen,” according to the narrator in Part II: “In the Ogre’s Cave,” Chapter 4?

5. What does the traveler order for Wanda to drink when they return to the café for his luggage in Part I: “A Guest of Poland,” Chapter 1?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where does Dr. Stern say most of the retreat attendees have come from in Part I: “A Guest of Poland,” Chapter 3?

2. How is the conflict involving Mr. Earwig resolved in Part II: “In the Ogre’s Cave,” Chapter 4?

3. How would you describe the narrative style established in Part I: “A Guest of Poland,” Chapter 1?

4. Who are the locals that the traveler meets at the café in Part I: “A Guest of Poland,” Chapter 1? Where do they take him?

5. How does the narrator describe Dr. Olin’s professional objectives at the retreat in Part I: “A Guest of Poland,” Chapter 3?

6. How does Dr. Stern describe the mission of the retreat in Part I: “A Guest of Poland,” Chapter 3? Who has come to attend the retreat?

7. How do Mirek and Wanda respond when they arrive at Olin’s destination in Part I: “A Guest of Poland,” Chapter 2?

8. What are Dr. Olin’s personal reasons for attending the retreat, according to the narrator in Part I: “A Guest of Poland,” Chapter 3?

9. How is the setting of Kasmierz described in Part I: “A Guest of Poland,” Chapter 1?

10. What confrontation takes place between Earwig and Olin outside the crematorium in Part II: “In the Ogre’s Cave,” Chapter 4?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the character of Professor Adina Schreier in the novel. Where is Dr. Schreier from? What is her objective in attending the retreat? How does Dr. Schreier relate to Dr. Clements Olin?

Essay Topic 2

Plot Structure

a. Discuss the plot structure of In Paradise. In what ways is the narrative related and what effect does this have on the reader?

b. How does In Paradise compare with other novels written during this time period? Are there specific stylistic elements that can be seen in Matthiessen’s writing?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and discuss the setting of Cracow, Poland. How far is Cracow located from the Auschwitz concentration camp? Discuss the history of Cracow prior to and during World War II. How much damage did Cracow see from the war? How is Cracow described in 1996, when Clements Olin arrives?

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