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

Short Answer Questions

1. Molina: "Arregui is like a _______, sir, and suspicious of everything..."

2. What does Molina use to make a sandwich?

3. What does Molina want to suggest to Valentin to help get him to open up?

4. What kind of job does the reporter get when he realizes he cannot get any other job?

5. "How could you leave then, when love was __________!"

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The idea of telling stories seems to be used as an escapist technique, not just for the reader, but also for the characters.

Part 1: Why does Molina like to tell the stories as told to Valentin and to himself?

Part 2: What might Molina be escaping from as he tells the stories? What might Valentin escape from?

Part 3: What is the value of escapism? What does it provide to those who seek it out? How can it hurt the seekers of escapism?

Essay Topic 2

Women do not seem to play a large role in the story, being relegated only to the maternal role and to the person Valentin continues his fight for.

Part 1: Who are the female characters in this story? What is their relationship to the main characters of the dialogue?

Part 2: Do the female characters seem stronger or weaker than the male characters? Why did you choose the answer you did?

Part 3: What does Puig seem to be saying about the female gender?

Essay Topic 3

The idea of love is one that emerges right from the beginning of the story when Molina tells the story of the movie. The theme of love continues to emerge in the subsequent chapters.

Part 1: How is love portrayed in this story? In what ways does Puig describe it to the audience?

Part 2: Does love seem to be a positive or a negative force in the lives of these men? Support your answer.

Part 3: In what ways is love made larger than life in this story?

(see the answer keys)

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