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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. As Childan sits on the carpet with the Kasouras, what do his thoughts reveal about how he has resolved his earlier merchandise problems?

2. What surprises Tagomi about Mr. Yatabe, whose real name is Tedeki?

3. Why does Reiss resent his orders to cooperate with the police?

4. As Chapter 10 closes, how does Tagomi's message from the I Ching come true?

5. What is Frank doing as Chapter 14 ends?

Short Essay Questions

1. The Kasouras seem to be obsessed with the American way and their American guest and go out of their way to treat him as an equal. How is this demonstrated? What aspect of early 1960s America does this reflect?

2. How has Tagomi's most prized possession a "perfectly preserved U.S. 1860 Civil War Colt .44, a treasured collector's item" changed in significance as the story progresses?

3. Juliana's words and thoughts seem jumbled and senseless at one point in Chapter 13 as she says things like, " Hair creates bear who removes spots in nakedness." and "However, only woman." What is the cause of this gibberish and disorientation? Do you feel this type of dialogue enhances or distracts from the storyline? Why?

4. Back in the park, Tagomi thinks of his perception of the world as an optical distortion saying, "our space and our time creations of our own psyche, and when these momentarily falter ... all sense of balance is gone." What does this mean? How does it relate to Tagomi's present state of mind?

5. Wegener speaks of the political situation of the Third Reich and its plans for Japan. As he explains what the Japanese must do to protect their own interests and country, Tagomi grows more and more upset. Why, if Wegener is trying to help, is Tagomi so disturbed?

6. Chapter 9 repeats a technique used by Philip Dick in earlier chapters. He presents multiple characters and scenarios within a single chapter. What three scenarios are presented, and who is included in each? How does Dick attain a sense of unity despite the differing scenarios?

7. Chapter 10 focuses on the internal and external conflicts faced by Baynes. What are these conflicts? What do they suggest about his character?

8. As her concern about Joe and his real identity and intentions grow, Juliana's thoughts revert to Frank. First, she thinks, "Frank. Help me. I'm into something I don't understand." A bit later she informs Joe, "My husband is a Jew." What does this suggest about her feelings about Frank? What is further revealed about her character?

9. As Juliana continues to read The Grasshopper Lies Heavy, the reader learns more of its contents. What are some ways Abendsen has changed the history of his world? What do Juliana's and Joe's reactions to these changes say about each of them?

10. Paul sees The Grasshopper Lies Heavy as being "possibly within the genre of science fiction." Betty disagrees because "science fiction deals with the future, in particular where science has advanced over now." Paul notes, however, that "it deals with an alternate present" as many well-known science fiction novels do. How do their definitions fit into the classifying of The High Castle as science fiction? Is there anything you would add to their definition?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The idea of Good vs Evil is a common motif in literature. Explain how this theme is represented in the novel The High Castle. Who or what represents the Good? Who or what represents the Evil? Is the line clearly drawn between the two? Based upon the characters and events he gives the reader, what can we conclude about Philip Dick's theories about the Good vs Evil conflict?

Essay Topic 2

Towards the end of the novel the author points out the pessimistic attitude of Wegener and the optimistic conclusions of Juliana regarding the future of the world. Compare their specific viewpoints. How might their life situations reflect their particular views? In your opinion, who is more realistic about the world in which they live? Provide specific evidence from the novel to support your opinion.

Essay Topic 3

Authors have many techniques available to help them develop a character. These include physical description, dialogue with another character, personal thoughts or monologues, and comments from other characters or from the author himself. Select a character from the novel that you feel has been fully developed. Discuss how the character was given a personality through the author's use of the above techniques. Be specific with both character traits and how they were developed.

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