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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. Father Mikal implies in Part III: “Dancing at Auschwitz,” Chapter 13 that the mother-superior warned him that who had brought malicious gossip from their diocese to the retreat?

2. Who informs Olin in Part III: “Dancing at Auschwitz,” Chapter 14 that she has tracked down a former patient of Dr. Allgeier’s who later worked as a camp guard?

3. How many female prisoners were held in each barrack of the women’s quarters, according to the narrator in Part II: “In the Ogre’s Cave,” Chapter 8?

4. Who is described as “Becca’s companion, a violinist with long black hair” in Part II: “In the Ogre’s Cave,” Chapter 7?

5. What word used in Part III: “Dancing at Auschwitz,” Chapter 12 means marked by characteristics of an earlier period, or antiquated?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is the character of Stanislav K. described in Part II: “In the Ogre’s Cave,” Chapter 8?

2. What information does Father Mikal reveal about Stefan in Part IV: “In Paradise,” Chapter 16?

3. What does Olin consider the phenomenon of the dancing to be in Part III: “Dancing at Auschwitz,” Chapter 11?

4. What realities about his grandparents does Olin come to terms with in Part II: “In the Ogre’s Cave,” Chapter 6?

5. What information does Sister Catherine relate to Olin when she greets him in the beginning of Part III: “Dancing at Auschwitz,” Chapter 12?

6. What story does Rainer reveal of his family in Part II: “In the Ogre’s Cave,” Chapter 7?

7. What information does Erna reveal to Olin prior to the meditation meeting in Part III: “Dancing at Auschwitz,” Chapter 14?

8. How does the narrator describe the mood of the attendees in the beginning of Part III: “Dancing at Auschwitz,” Chapter 11?

9. How does the narrator describe the correlations between art and evil in Part III: “Dancing at Auschwitz,” Chapter 13?

10. Who follows Olin as he searches for Brzezinka in Part II: “In the Ogre’s Cave,” Chapter 8? Why is Olin looking for this setting?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine and discuss the theme of history in the novel. What is the role of history in the lives of the characters? How is history important in the story? How do Olin’s views of history differ from those of Mirek and Wanda?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze and discuss the narrative style of In Paradise. Is the story related from a first, second, or third-person perspective? Is the narrator involved in the action of the story? Is the story told in present or past tense? How does each of these authorial choices affect the story and the reader?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and analyze the character of G. Earwig in the novel. How does Earwig’s behavior stand apart from the other retreat attendees? Where is Earwig from? What do you think his objectives are in attending the retreat?

(see the answer keys)

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