View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. With regards to love, what was Sabina's nature?

2. After the encounter with the immigrants, which stirred her up quite a bit, how did Sabina react when she saw Franz sitting on a couchette?

3. How did Sabina feel about Franz having told his wife of their affair?

4. What incident led Franz to tell his wife about his affair?

5. Who did Franz respect and worship?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Tereza feel when she stood naked in front of Sabina as Sabina photographed her?

2. Describe Tereza's mother:

3. In Part 1, Chapter 3, what did Tomas struggle with after Tereza returned to her small Czech town?

4. What happens to Franz after Sabina leaves him for good?

5. What is Tereza's relationship with her body?

6. For Franz, what is music?

7. Describe Franz's love for Sabina.

8. In Part 2, Chapter 29, what were Tereza's first thought when Tomas had come back to Prague because of her?

9. How did Tereza react to her mother's phone call telling her she had cancer and only 5 months to live?

10. How did Tomas ensure that erotic friendship never grew into the aggression of love?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The possibility of a different outcome between Tomas and Tereza.

What could Tomas have done to help change the course of his relationship with Tereza? What could she have done differently? Why did neither one of them try to take a stronger stand with the other in an attempt to rescue the relationship?

Essay Topic 2

Tomas is a surgeon out of a deep passion and desire.

1. How many times does Tomas jeopardize his career? Cite the incidences where TOmas chooses a route that takes him further and further away from his career.

2. Tomas descends from one job to another, but he claims to Tereza at the end that he is happy. Is Tomas truly happy or pretending to be so? Cite 3 incidences that support your theory.

3. Had Tomas remained in Zurich, where his career as a surgeon flourished, would he have been better off? Or was he destined to be with Tereza and didn't really have a choice? Cite 3 incidences from the book that support your theory.

Essay Topic 3

Tomas and Tereza are brought together by fortuitous events.

1. Kandera often brings up the fortuitous events that brought Tomas and Tereza together. How many times does Kandera bring this up> What is he trying to say? Were Tereza and Tomas brought together by chance or fate?

2. Tomas questions the fortuitous events that brought him and Tereza together. Why didn't Tomas go beyond the questioning and conclude whether or not they did belong together? Was Tomas too passive in the relationship, allowing for those fortuitous events to lead the meaning of the relationship? Cite 3 examples that prove your theory.

3. Tereza holds steady to the fortuitous events that brought her to Tomas. Why does that not bring her peace? Cite 3 examples where she fully recognizes she's in an unhappy relationship.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 997 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample