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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How does the film begin?
(a) With a home recording of Jaromil as a child.
(b) With Jaromil reciting his most famous poem.
(c) With Maman recounting childhood memories with Jaromil.
(d) With pictures of Jaromil as a child.

2. Why does the girl come to see the man rather than going home?
(a) None of her family members are still alive.
(b) She never wants to go home again.
(c) The thought of going home depresses her.
(d) He is the only person she can trust anymore.

3. Why is it important to Jaromil that he die by fire?
(a) He thinks of himself as a gruesome beacon for the future.
(b) He thinks fire would be the quickest way to die.
(c) A man's death conveys a message about his life.
(d) He wants nothing to remain of himself but his poems.

4. During the argument between Jaromil and the party guest, why do the other guests burst out laughing?
(a) Jaromil has tripped over a coffee table and fallen.
(b) Jaromil has tripped over a coffee table and fallen.
(c) Jaromil has punched the party guest in the face.
(d) The party guest has picked up Jaromil by his shirt and pants waist.

5. When Maman is embarrassed about her dress in front of Jaromil, what does she change into?
(a) A grey dress.
(b) A pink dressing gown.
(c) A blue wrapper.
(d) A light purple dress.

Short Answer Questions

1. To Jaromil, what does Xavier represent?

2. How does the old poet describe the cinematographer and Jaromil?

3. How old is Jaromil when he catches pneumonia?

4. After Jaromil hears about the girl's brother, what action does he want her to take?

5. Why does the newspaper editor not want to publish Jaromil's poems?

Short Essay Questions

1. "Only a real poet knows how lonely it is inside the mirrored house of poetry" (Part 7, Chapter 1, pg 289). Where else does the reader see mirrors in the story, and how does this sentence relate to Jaromil's life?

2. How is the girl a different person from when she went into the prison? How is she more like Jaromil had been?

3. What does the middle-aged man tell the girl about Jaromil? How is this story the opposite of what Jaromil ever wanted?

4. As it is painfully revealed in Part 5, Chapters 4 - 6, why do Maman and Jaromil struggle to live together? What does this say about their relationship as mother and son?

5. What is Maman's opinion about the redheaded girl? How does her reaction perpetuate the cycle of her own relationship with Jaromil?

6. Kundera says that the young person can be so loyally devoted to an idea because he believes in absolutes (Part 5, Chapter 6, pg 220). How does this fit with Jaromil's personality?

7. The group of poets, Jaromil among them, is invited to speak at the police academy in the countryside. What is the irony of this situation and what does it say about the ideals they espouse?

8. According to Jaromil, why did he run from the window where he first saw the redheaded girl? How does this move the story forward and reveal Jaromil's personality at the same time?

9. After not sleeping with the cinematographer, Jaromil considers his underwear for a long time, in light of the women involved. What does he decide? How does this single piece of clothing drive so much of what he does?

10. During the party at the cinematography girl's apartment, how does Jaromil's clothing reflect his state of mind?

(see the answer keys)

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