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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 does Cincinnatus bump into after he is awakened by scratching noises?

2. What park is next to the meeting between Pierre, Cincinnatus, and the city officials?

3. What does Cincinnatus refuse to do after Pierre's speech about why he pretended to be a prisoner?

4. What does Pierre talk about during his game of chess with Cincinnatus?

5. What does Cecilia C. give to Cincinnatus?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens at the moment of Cincinnatus's execution?

2. What does the librarian do when Cincinnatus tries to express his true thoughts?

3. What does Cincinnatus's letter to Marthe say?

4. Describe what happens to Cincinnatus's cell when the tunnel is completed.

5. What does Pierre do, when the party moves outside at the meeting between Cincinnatus, Pierre, and the city officials?

6. What is on the list of acceptable last requests that Pierre reads?

7. How does Marthe get permission to come and see Cincinnatus?

8. How does Pierre act during his chess game with Cincinnatus?

9. What does Pierre do after the party starts breaking up, before heading back to the prison?

10. What reason does Pierre give Cincinnatus for pretending to be a prisoner?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The novel revolves around Cincinnatus's persecution for a crime, but his crime is never clearly explained. Discuss the nature of Cincinnatus's crime.

1) What does "gnostic turpitude" mean? How does this phrase describe Cincinnatus' crime?

2) What does the episode in Cincinnatus's childhood when he walks in the air reveal about Cincinnatus' crime?

3) How do the other characters react to Cincinnatus' crime and what does this reveal about the nature of the crime? What is Cincinnatus's own attitude, and why won't he repent?

Essay Topic 2

Emmie's character becomes a source of hope for Cincinnatus. Discuss Emmie's role in the novel.

1) What qualities does Emmie's character have? What does Cincinnatus assume about Emmie's character? How do his assumptions differ from the reality?

2) How does Emmie represent childhood? What is Cincinnatus's perception of childhood, and how does it affect his view of Emmie?

3) How does Emmie's betrayal of Cincinnatus affect him? How do others view that betrayal?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Cincinnatus's own role in his imprisonment.

1) How does Cincinnatus's crime make him impossible to imprison? Why does Cincinnatus remain in the prison, hoping for help of escape from Emmie or Pierre?

2) What implications does Cincinnatus's escape from his execution at the end of the novel have about Cincinnatus's imprisonment? If he were able to simply walk away from the executioner's ax, couldn't he simply walk away from his cell?

3) What aspects of Cincinnatus's own personality and character imprison him, literally and metaphorically?

(see the answer keys)

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