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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. Inside the concentration camp, the narrator describes Block 10 as the location where “the assorted sadisms” of what were administered, in Part II: “In the Ogre’s Cave,” Chapter 4?

2. What literary work of Tadeusz Borowski is described in Part I: “A Guest of Poland,” Chapter 3?

3. For what saint do the Catholic novices offer a candle in the Hunger Cell in Part II: “In the Ogre’s Cave,” Chapter 4?

4. In what year did Rudolf Höss join the Nazi Party?

5. What Polish province was “a hub for seasonal harvest labor transported across northern Europe” prior to World War II, according to the narrator in Part I: “A Guest of Poland,” Chapter 2?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. 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?

3. What does Olin consider about his behavior after the departure of Wanda and Mirek in Part I: “A Guest of Poland,” Chapter 2?

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

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

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

7. When did Olin’s grandparents and father leave Europe, according to the narrator in Part II: “In the Ogre’s Cave,” Chapter 5?

8. What does Olin point out about the history of Oswiecim in Part I: “A Guest of Poland,” Chapter 2?

9. How would you describe the symbolic significance of the character of G. Earwig in the novel?

10. What symbolic items did Olin’s grandfather bring with him to the New World, according to the narrator in Part II: “In the Ogre’s Cave,” Chapter 5? Why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the history, rituals, beliefs, and customs of Judaism. How were the rituals and customs of Jews affected by imprisonment in the camps during WWII? How do you compare these customs with those of Christianity? How do the Jewish prayer services and the Catholic prayer services at the retreat differ?

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast the characters of Father Mikal and Stefan in the novel. How are Father Mikal and Stefan alike? How do they differ? What tensions exist between these characters?

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?

(see the answer keys)

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