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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 characteristics do all the guardsmen at Krapptauer's memorial have in common?

2. Where does Helga claim she located the trunk filled with many of the narrator's things?

3. Which actor does the G-man say should play the role of George Kraft in a movie?

4. How long is the narrator kept under arrest after the raid?

5. What is one of the first things the narrator says after he wakes up from the beating?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the narrator suggests happened to George Kraft's pipe?

2. Describe what happened to the narrator after being beaten and knocked unconscious.

3. When the narrator returns to his ransacked attic home, what does it remind him of?

4. Describe the narrator's surroundings when he regains consciousness after being beaten.

5. Describe the appearance of the Iron Guardsmen.

6. Describe the offensive drawing that Kraft uses for target practice. Why does the narrator say he drew the "ludicrous" cartoon, and what does he himself think about it?

7. Describe the narrator's encounter with Adolf Eichmann in the Tel Aviv jail.

8. How did the narrator meet Werner von Braun and what detail does he recall from that meeting?

9. Why does the narrator say he "froze" after he is released after the raid?

10. Summarize the key points of the narrator's radio address that was played at the Iron Guard meeting.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Some of the younger characters in the novel, such as Dr. Epstein and the narrator's Israeli-born guard, think discussing what happened in the death camps pointless or irrelevant. Discuss whether these attitudes are healthy examples of people trying to get on with their lives and not be burdened by the past or a troubling example of living in denial.

Essay Topic 2

In your opinion, does Howard Campbell ever redeem himself for his crimes? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the concept of patriotism as presented in the novel compared to your own idea of patriotism. Give your definition of patriotism and discuss what you think patriotism means to some of the characters in the novel.

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