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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 do when Marthe offers to have sex with him?

2. Where does the tunnel lead to?

3. How does Cincinnatus say that the prison clock works?

4. Where does Cincinnatus see Marthe, during his trip to the location of his execution?

5. What falls from the sky when Cincinnatus goes to bed to read his novel?

Short Essay Questions

1. What inconsistency in Cecilia C.'s clothes does Cincinnatus point out?

2. What announcements does the deputy city director make before the execution?

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

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

5. How does Cincinnatus react when Pierre, the director, and the lawyer announce that it is time for his execution?

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

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

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

9. What did Cecilia C. ask Marthe for, and what was Marthe's response?

10. How does Cincinnatus respond to Pierre's speech?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the importance of the librarian in the novel.

1) What does the librarian's job say about him?

2) How does the librarian react to the other characters and the culture that surrounds him? How does he react to Pierre and the prison director?

3) Why does Cincinnatus try to communicate and make a connection with the librarian near the end of the novel? What does the librarian's reaction say about him? What is the librarian's reaction at the beheading, and what does this indicate?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Absurd and surreal events occur throughout the novel. Discuss the unreality of the novel.

1) In what ways could the novel be considered surrealist? In what ways is it not surrealist?

2) Do the events of the novel reflect Cincinnatus's mind, or do they reflect an objective reality? Is Cincinnatus subconsciously in control of the events?

3) Why does the author use incongruous and dreamlike events in the novel?

(see the answer keys)

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