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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 was unusual about Cincinnatus' sentence?

2. What irrelevant detail does the letter mention?

3. What is Cincinnatus's first job?

4. What reason does Cincinnatus write that he is too dangerous as his own accomplice?

5. What is the director doing when Rodion brings Cincinnatus back to his cell from the new prisoner's cell?

Short Essay Questions

1. What types of dreams do the prison rules disallow?

2. Describe Pierre's circus performance.

3. What happens when there start to be complaints about Cincinnatus?

4. What ring does Cincinnatus describe wearing in his memory from his childhood?

5. What does Emmie do with the water jug in Cincinnatus' cell?

6. How do all the prison guards react to the new prisoner?

7. What does Cincinnatus hope to get out of seeing Marthe?

8. Besides how long Cincinnatus has until his execution, what else does Cincinnatus want to know from his captors? What is their response?

9. What memory of his wife does Cincinnatus recall in his writing?

10. Describe the librarian.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the hope of escape in the novel.

1) How does Cincinnatus interpret the drawings that he finds in the library catalog? How does he interpret the scratching sounds he hears in the wall?

2) Does hope of escape play a role in keeping Cincinnatus in prison? What would be necessary, in order for Cincinnatus to escape?

3) Who does Cincinnatus put his hope into? What does he expect from Emmie, Pierre, or other characters who might help him in some way?

Essay Topic 2

Pierre is an important element in the novel and a representative of the forces of society that are destroying Cincinnatus. Discus Pierre's character, his attitudes, and his reactions.

1) Why does Pierre present himself as a prisoner and try to become Cincinnatus' friend? How does Pierre view his relationship with Cincinnatus?

2) What does Pierre think of himself and his position in society? How does he promote himself? How does he use language and cultural dictates to create "truth?"

3) What elements of Cincinnatus's psyche does Pierre represent?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss symbolism and metaphor in the novel.

1) What things are described as being off-center in the novel? What does this represent in the novel?

2) What does the spider represent in the novel? What does the moth that is almost fed to the spider represent?

3) What do nonnons represent? Why does Cecelia C. tell the story of nonnons?

4) Why does Cincinnatus take himself apart several times during the novel? What does this represent? What do some of the other absurd or surreal events in the novel represent?

5) What does the prison itself represent? Do the characters have symbolic or metaphoric meaning?

(see the answer keys)

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