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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. By what does Mansour think Zohra is probably driven?

2. What class is Hosny a member of according to Sarhan?

3. What does Mansour think of Hosny?

4. What happens when Sarhan is with Zohara?

5. What does Hosny appear to be?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Ali convince Sarhan to join him in the heist?

2. How does Mansour react to Sarhan's announcement that he intends to marry Aleya?

3. Wat does Sarhan say about the Umm Kulthum concert?

4. What does Sarhan say about Mariana when he asks to rent a room and how does Zohra act when she sees him at the Miramar?

5. How does Sarhan's relationship with Aleya develop?

6. What does Mansour do when he learns of Fawzi's arrest?

7. Why does Doreya say Mansour is four years too late and what is his response?

8. Describe Sarhan's encounter with Tolba on the street.

9. What are Sarhan's quick impressions of Hosny and Mansour?

10. Summarize Mansour's analysis of the time the boarders spend together the night of the Umm Kulthum concert.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss one of the following:

1. Define irony in literary terms. Discuss the irony of the situation that Hosny is not as well educated as most of the other boarders and can neither read nor write well and yet is considered upper class and feels superior to the other boarders at the Miramar. Discuss two other ironic situations in the book. Do you think the author intends irony towards the characters and their behaviors?

2. Define symbolism in literary terms. Discuss the use and meaning of five symbols you choose to analyze from "Miramar". What do they symbolize? Is the symbolism obvious? Effective? Does the symbolism contribute to the enjoyment of reading?

3. Discuss five literary devices that occur in Mirama and how they are used. Are they effective? Do they add or detract from the reading of the book? Why or why not. Some possible techniques: allusion, connotation, denouement, dialogue, flashback, figurative language, motif, metaphor, narrator, point of view, simile, mood, and puns.

Essay Topic 2

Characters are an integral and important part of almost all novels. Discuss one of the following in relation to The Awakening:

1. Compare/contrast the characters of Sarhan al-Beheiry and Hosny Allam. How are they similar? How are they different? Is there a flaw in each of their personalities? Is either man's beliefs more worthy than the other? Be specific and give examples.

2. Compare/contrast the characters of Sarhan al-Beheiry and Mansour Bahy. How do they seem different? Which do you like more? Why? Which one seems more of a well-rounded character?

3. Thoroughly analyze how two of the secondary characters help drive the plot and what their contribution is to the storyline. Are any of the secondary characters unnecessary? Indispensable? Which of the secondary characters are likable? Which are either unlikable or even despicable? Be specific and give examples.

Essay Topic 3

Certainly "Miramar" considers the subject of gender. Discuss the following:

1. Define the term "gender."

2. Does gender only refer to whether a person is male or female? Is gender easy to identify?

3. Discuss the Egyptian cultural definitions of gender during the era of "Miramar" and the expectations for each gender. Do any of those expectations exist today?

4. Would you like to live in a culture that has those expectations for men and women that are revealed in the book? Discuss fully with examples from the text.

5. Are women the only ones harmed by gender-based expectations? Why or why not.

(see the answer keys)

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