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This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.
Short Answer Questions
1. What action does Lear take as a result of his impatience in Act 2, Scene 8?
2. What is Ballas' role in Lear's class?
3. How does George categorize Maria's actions?
4. What is Stroll's excuse for not doing more translations?
5. What theme does Chorukor represent in the play?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
As the play ends, there are two possible outcomes for Gross based on the decision he makes. Use the following format to present a case for both. Make sure to include examples from the play to support your cases.
1) First, explain why Gross' decision means that he will most likely never be able to make a difference at the company, and eventually might even stop trying altogether.
2) Second, explain why Gross' decision means that he will continue to fight from within the company, and eventually make a difference by stopping the bureaucracy, and gaining his independence in the process.
3) Finally, explain what will happen in your opinion. Which one of the above cases do you agree with and why?
Essay Topic 2
Manipulation is one of the main weapons used against Gross throughout the entire play. Using several examples from the play, describe in detail how Gross is manipulated on a variety of different levels. What is the objective of the manipulation? Why is it effective? Overall, why is manipulation necessary to the way a bureaucratic system functions? How does the play illustrate the way manipulation can lead to control over someone?
Essay Topic 3
In Scene 5 of Act 1, an important point is made with the correlation between Gross' pursuit of knowledge (the translation of the memo) and his lack of knowledge. This creates a never ending circle where no logical way out exits for Gross.
1) Explain in detail what the significance of the knowledge is to the play in general, and in the scene specifically. Also, describe the irony of Gross' situation. What does the fact that he cannot answer the questions correctly symbolize? His lack of answers also displays a lack of something else. What is it and is why is it important to the point Havel is making about bureaucracy overall?
2) Staying with the theme of knowledge, which characters are allowed to have it? Do they really possess it, or is it only a perception portrayed to the characters that are kept from knowledge? Why is this necessary for the people to retain their power?
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This section contains 509 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) |
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