View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Sometimes Denys would show Dinesen movies about __________________.

2. What made Dinesen think about emigrating from Denmark during the war?

3. Why did Dinesen go to Berlin in 1940?

4. What format did Dinesen gravitate toward in the 1950s?

5. Unresolved conflicts in Dinesen's life created ____________________.

Short Essay Questions

1. How was Dinesen conflicted about which role to pursue in her life?

2. What was the underlying theme in the stories contained in "Winter's Tales" written during the early years of the war?

3. How did the syphilis take its toll on Dinesen, and who helped her through this difficult time?

4. Why did Dinesen feel that Bjornvig needed to suffer through his studies in Germany?

5. What is known about the depths of despair Dinesen experienced after the loss of the coffee plantation and how did Deny's death, ironically, free her in a way?

6. Why did Bjornvig leave Dinesen after four years together?

7. How well did Dinesen adapt to her return to Denmark?

8. What occupied most of Denys' time in 1928, and how did Dinesen feel about it?

9. How did Dinesen's pregnancy split her relationship with Denys and what reunited them?

10. How did Dinesen spend some time during the early years of World War II?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the role of women in Europe in the early twentieth century. What precedents did they feel compelled to follow? What restrictions did they have? What freedoms did they have that 21st century women do not have? What roles did Dinesen fill which made men in her life uncomfortable? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Create a brief character study of Bror Blixen. What did he look like? What was his family background? What were his positive personality traits? What were some of his negative characteristics? What were his hopes and fears? What were his primary motivations during his life?

Essay Topic 3

The theme of independence is an important one in Dinesen's life and in her work. Describe how it extends through setting, subjects, technique, etc. and provide examples for each.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 956 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample