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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. How many sons has Gloria lost in the Vietnam War?

2. What kind of camera does Fernando use?

3. What profession does the narrator of Book 1, Chapter 1: "All Respects to Heaven, I Like It Here" say his father held?

4. How much does Fernando consider to be "serious money" that the girl got for getting a photo on the cover of the Village Voice?

5. Who among the programmers served two tours in Vietnam in Book 2, Chapter 6: "Etherwest"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the central conflict faced by the protagonist in Book 1, Chapter 2: “Miro, Miro on the Wall”?

2. What does Marcia describe when she arrives in Book 1, Chapter 2: “Miro, Miro on the Wall”? Why is Marcia’s story significant?

3. What action breaks the initial tension described in the Prologue? Why?

4. What is revealed of the protagonist’s past in the beginning of Book 1, Chapter 3: “A Fear of Love”?

5. Whom do the protagonists speak to first on the phone in Book 2, Chapter 6: “Etherwest”? What do they learn from this character?

6. How is the central conflict resolved in Book 1, Chapter 2: “Miro, Miro on the Wall”?

7. How is the concept of “genius” defined in Book 2, Chapter 5: “Tag”?

8. What brings Lara to the hospital in Book 1, Chapter 3: “A Fear of Love”? What does she discover at the hospital?

9. What leads to the confrontation between Ciaran and Lara at the car in Book 1, Chapter 3: “A Fear of Love”?

10. What event is taking place in Book 1, Chapter 2: “Miro, Miro on the Wall”?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the metaphors and symbolism surrounding the tightrope walker in the novel. What central feat does the walker perform? Why does he perform this stunt? How does this performance impact the lives of the main characters in the story?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze and discuss the character of Fernando Yunque Marcano in Let the Great World Spin. Whom do you think this character is based upon? Why do you think the author chooses to relate Fernando’s story? How does Fernando’s story relate to the other characters in the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the plot structure of Let the Great World Spin. How traditionally is the narrative structured? In what ways is the novel’s structure unique in comparison with other works you’ve read? Did you feel satisfied that all of the “loose ends” were tied up in the ending? Why or why not?

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