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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. What does the discussion of The Grasshopper Lies Heavy lead Joe and Juliana to do?

2. In Chapter 11, who is revealed to be the mystery Abwehr, Rudolf Wegener?

3. Why does Childan feel he must read The Grasshopper Lies Heavy?

4. What feeling best describes Juliana's reaction to Joe's explanation about his cash supply?

5. What does Reiss find is his main role in the plan to capture Wegener?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Tagomi buys a piece of Edfrank Jewelry at Childan's suggestion. What selling angle does Childan use that convinces Tagomi to buy it? What does Tagomi hope to get from this purchase? What does this say about his present state of mind? What has the jewelry come to symbolize overall?

3. In Chapter 8, upon entering the Kasoura neighborhood, Childan thinks to himself, "I do not belong here." In what way is this statement true? What does the author draw upon from actual history to depict this scene?

4. Toward the end of Chapter 14, Reiss comes to visit Tagomi. What is the purpose of his visit? How does Tagomi react to this? What is this further revealing about Tagomi's character in light of the conflicts he has been facing, both externally and internally?

5. In Chapter 7, the reader learns more about Childan through his dialogue with the Kasouras and through a further glimpse into his inner thoughts. What do we learn about his political and cultural views? What does this say about his character? Are his views justified? Has your opinion of him changed at all since you first met him in Chapter 1?

6. 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?

7. In Chapter 9, Joe accuses Juliana of being guilty of "worry, fear, and suspicion about him and everything else in the world." In what way is this true? Are her feelings well founded? What might this be foreshadowing?

8. 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?

9. 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?

10. In Chapter 8, Reiss receives two messages about individuals who have come into the PSA. What does he learn? What can we assume as a result?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Science fiction is often said to have at its foundation a strong connection to the real world. Upon what historical realities did Philip Dick draw? What are some of the specific parallels he makes between Abendsen's world and his own? By doing this, how does this novel equally become a criticism of our own history?

Essay Topic 2

Early on in the novel Frank Frink speaks of his life "bound up with all other lives and particles of the world." This thought can be applied to the manner in which an author keeps his characters and the events within his plot inter-related, regardless of whether they know each other or share events. Explain how Philip Dick succeeds at doing this to keep his story unified. Be specific with characters, events, and how they have impacted one another.

Essay Topic 3

Often a character faces both inner and outer conflicts that define his personality. Choose a character from The High Castle and discuss both an internal and an external conflict faced by this character (one may lead to the other or they may be completely separate). For each, define the conflict, describe how the character dealt with the conflict, and explain how (if) it was resolved. Go on to discuss what this says about this character. Be specific throughout.

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