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. What is the meaning of Tereza's secret vice, her long looks and frequent glances in the mirror?

2. What does Tereza's mother appear to be casting off with her immodesty?

3. What was the one thing that Tereza's mother did not allow to exist in her home?

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

5. What was Tereza training for since childhood?

Short Essay Questions

1. What were books for Tereza?

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

3. In Part 3, Chapter 4, what is the immigrant's reaction to Sabina's behavior?

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

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

6. "That pendant is ugly," Marie-Claude says to Sabina. Why does she make such a remark?

7. What argument does Tereza use when she rejects the offer to take photos of a cactus?

8. What did Tereza write in the letter that she'd left for Tomas in Zurich?

9. Describe Marie-Claude's personality.

10. Is reaching the lightness of being Sabina's goal?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose one of the three options to write about:

1. Throughout The Unbearable Lightness of Being, the question of weight and lightness is often used to describe the reason behind a character's actions. Discuss which characters are pursuing lightness, which characters are more pursuing weight. Tomas, Tereza, Franz and Sabina.

2. Recurring dreams have a strong impact on Tereza. These dreams interpret her inner struggle with Tomas's affairs. Cite 3 dreams that were particularly frightening for Tereza.

3. Throughout The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera expresses quite a few observations about the Communist Regime and the people that oppose them. Cite 3 views that adrress those views.

Essay Topic 2

If you were living in Prague during the invasion, would you have fled the country? Where would you have gone? Would you have stayed for the love of your country and fellowmen knowing you may lose your job?

Essay Topic 3

When making decisions, Tereza and Tomas do not really look long term.

1. By retiring into the country, does Tomas and Tereza draw forth their death? Could they have subconsciously wanted to die? If so, what would each of their reasons have been?

2. Had they not died, could they have had a happy relationship? Why or why not?

3. Why didn't Tomas refuse to go to the country? Given the political situation of the country, did Tomas and Tereza have any other option? Overall, would you consider Tereza selfish in her actions? Cite 3 examples.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,022 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample