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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. Who summons Ginzburg?

2. What does Ginzburg call her mother-in-law?

3. Why do many people believe they are safe from arrest?

4. What does Lydia pray concerning Ginzburg?

5. What does Livanov ask Ginzburg concerning Elvov?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Ginzburg think things have been straightened out and what happens to throw her back into the midst of the purge?

2. Who is Secretary Abdullin and what does he ask of Ginzburg?

3. When is Ginzburg arrested and where does she tell goodbye?

4. What does one prisoner do and others follow that breaks up the horror of their situation momentarily?

5. Describe Captain Vevers' behavior to Ginzburg.

6. Who is Ginzburg's first cellmate at Black Lake?

7. What happens on February 7, 1937, and why is one of Ginzburg's former students in particular agony about it?

8. What happens after Ginzburg is given a summation of her indictments?

9. Where is Ginzburg being transferred and what is significant about the watch returned to her?

10. What is the "Conveyor Belt" interrogation method and how is it used on Ginzburg?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think Journey Into the Whirlwind is? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 2

Readers learn that Kirov's assassin was a Communist. This fills Ginzburg with a sense of foreboding. It also demonstrates that the government does not have complete control over its citizens, because the assassin is a Communist. It a Communist assassinates another Communist, it further implies that there is no such thing as a loyal Communist any longer. Since a Communist has assassinated another Communist, the government is now weeding through Party members to determine loyalty.

1. Discuss the idea that if a communist kills a communist official that means that there could be other communists who are not loyal to the government. Use examples from Journey Into the Whirlwind and your own life to support your response.

2. Discuss what you think about the way Stalin responded to Kirov's death. Use examples from Journey Into the Whirlwind and your own life to support your response.

3. Discuss why the statement: it further implies that there is no such thing as a loyal Communist any longer, is an example of black and white, absolute type thinking. Use examples from Journey Into the Whirlwind and your own life to support your response.

Essay Topic 3

Many memoirs, and perhaps a majority, of memoirs ends on a happy note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many (most?) people want what they perceive as a happy or good ending to a memoir? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why not?

2. What are three reasons to read memoir? Discuss each one in light of Journey Into the Whirlwind and whether or not it fulfills all three, two or one of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why Journey Into the Whirlwind is or is not successful in fulfilling the reasons you discuss.

3. Do you think reading solely for entertainment is as good a reason to read as any other? Why or why not? Can any work of fiction or non-fiction, no matter how poorly written, enlighten, teach, stimulate thought? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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