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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 Sholem's response when Madje asks if they will stop the show because of the content of the show?

2. How does the audience know that Lemml speaks German as a second language?

3. Why is Sholem agitated and troubled?

4. In 1923: A Doctor, A Diagnosis, why does Madje have Sholem seen by a doctor?

5. How does the troupe respond as Lemml speaks in poor German?

Short Essay Questions

1. In 1923: Opening Night on Broadway, Intermission, why are the Aschs shocked?

2. Why is the rain scene cut from the Broadway script?

3. Why does Schildkraut fire Reina?

4. What is Rabbi Silverman's response regarding plays like The God of Vengeance?

5. What is the role of Benjamin Baillie?

6. In Sholem Asch Shows Lemml America, what does the troupe do, as an ensemble?

7. What is Rabbi Silverman's response to the cast being arrested?

8. What does Virginia say that shocks Dorothee?

9. What is the doctor's recommendation to Sholem?

10. What does Madje ask Sholem in this section about why the authorities might stop the show?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Language is an important aspect of this play. How does the use of and switch from one language to another reflect changes in culture and tradition of the Jewish people? What other aspects of culture and tradition are changed when the language of the play switches from Yiddish to English? How might this reflect the attitude at the time towards religious Jews? How might this also make a reality the anti-Semitism that was feared by the men in Mr. Peretz‘s salon?

Essay Topic 2

When Lemml arrives in Staten Island, he refuses to cross the Asch home shvel, or threshold. Why? How is a threshold important in other parts of the play? Why might the playwright choose to give such importance to a home’s threshold?

Essay Topic 3

In the preface Paula Vogel explains what led to her collaboration with Rebecca Taichman. What does she say about this collaboration? Why does she believe this was a collaboration of a lifetime? How does the information in the preface regarding this collaboration prepare the reader for the play ahead? What other information from the preface is important for the reader prior to reading the play?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 970 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample