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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 the King surmise about Cheng?

2. What is the rumor about the airfield?

3. What does Marlowe wonder about when he encounters Hawkins?

4. What does Marlowe believe about the war?

5. About what is Ewart furious?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why isn't Marlowe successful in going after the money and how is he care for with the medicines Timsen gets?

2. Describe the scene where Marlowe acts as a go-between.

3. Describe Tiny Timsen.

4. How do Marlowe and the King reestablish their friendship after the King blows up at Marlowe about the radio?

5. Why will the airfield detail have an agreeable aspect to it?

6. Describe the pursuit and escape of Marlowe with the money.

7. How does Marlowe manage to obtain a radio and what is the King's reaction?

8. Who intercepts Lt. Grey as he goes to arrest Prouty and Marlowe, and why does Grey allow himself to be distracted?

9. Why are King and Marlowe in the King's tent at the opening of Chapter 19 and what happens?

10. Describe the transaction between the King and Shagata.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Lt. Grey accepts the principle of the lesser evil and that the ends justify the means. Discuss the following:

1. Define and discuss the phase "the ends justifies the means"?

2. What is the "ends" for the men in Changi? What is the means of obtaining that end? Is the means always good? Moral? Justified?

3. Can someone in such a situation as Changi choose to always take the "high road" and still survive? Do any of the characters do so? Discuss with examples.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the following:

1. Give a brief statement of the plot of KING RAT

2. Thoroughly analyze how the setting informs the plot in KING RAT. How do you think KING RAT be different if this were a POW camp in Germany? In Italy?

3. Discuss thoroughly how you think a POW camp run by the Americans or British would differ from Changi. (This will require some research.)

Essay Topic 3

Lt. Grey feels in a moral quandary about using paper from a Bible to roll cigarettes. Discuss the following:

1. Discuss several moral quandaries in which various characters find themselves. What usually wins out: morality or survival?

2. Are all the moral choices about survival? Are there other moral choices the characters have to make that has nothing to do with their survival--or are all choices in a place such as Changi linked to survival?

3. Discuss five characters and the limits they put upon themselves as far as their choices between right and wrong. In other words, do the characters have a point at which they will not go beyond even to ensure their survival?

(see the answer keys)

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