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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. Who leads the Christian prayer service that Olin attends with Professor Adina Schreier in the beginning of Part II: “In the Ogre’s Cave,” Chapter 6?

2. The ship that G. Earwig’s family departed on was supposedly setting out for what destination?

3. What personal torment does “Big Erna” describe when she stands before the attendees in the dining area in Part II: “In the Ogre’s Cave,” Chapter 10?

4. What is the name of the younger Catholic novice on the retreat?

5. As Olin attempts to make sense of the transcendent experience of the dancing in Part III: “Dancing at Auschwitz,” Chapter 11, the narrator says, “Out on that platform at odd moments of each day, a presence had risen that, for want of a better term, [Olin] calls” what in his journal?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where does Olin go on the morning of the departure in Part IV: “In Paradise,” Chapter 15? What does he do here?

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

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

4. What does Father Mikal discuss with Olin in the beginning of Part III: “Dancing at Auschwitz,” Chapter 13?

5. How does the narrator describe the Olinskis’ efforts to locate Clements’s mother in Part II: “In the Ogre’s Cave,” Chapter 7?

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

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

8. How are the tensions between the retreat attendees described in Part II: “In the Ogre’s Cave,” Chapter 6?

9. What information does Olin learn from Stefan in Part III: “Dancing at Auschwitz,” Chapter 13?

10. Where does Olin go after Catherine bids him farewell in Part IV: “In Paradise,” Chapter 16?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the character of Ben Lama in the narrative. What is Ben Lama’s role at the retreat? Where is he from? What are Ben’s objectives at the retreat?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the attraction and tension between Olin and Sister Catherine in In Paradise. Are there indications in the text that Sister Catherine shares an attraction to Dr. Olin? How does Olin perceive his own feelings for Sister Catherine?

Essay Topic 3

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?

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