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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 do Antonia and Jim's grandmother discover when they return to the Cutter home to pack up Antonia's belongings?

2. What does Wick Cutter do before leaving for Omaha that Grandmother Burden finds suspicious?

3. Who does Jim first encounter when he arrives at Antonia's home?

4. What news that Lena shares with Jim about Antonia shocks him the most?

5. How does Larry Donovan's manner change when he is with women?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the Polish violin teacher attempt to determine Jim's intentions with Lena? How does he react to Jim's response?

2. Describe Jim's visit to Black Hawk in this chapter

3. What part of Camille most affects Jim?

4. Describe Cuzak's life story as he tells it to Jim

5. Why does Jim think it is ironic that Antonia's marriage failed?

6. How does Jim describe the experience of going to the theatre?

7. How does the novel come full circle at the end?

8. Describe Gaston Cleric

9. What is symbolic about Jim and Antonia talking at Mr. Shimerda's grave site?

10. How does dancing with Lena differ from dancing with Antonia in Jim's mind?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the final book of the novel (Book 5) the author abruptly shifts the narrative forward 20 years. In your essay:

1) describe how the last chapter reads differently than the earlier chapters

2) explain why you think the author made this shift

3) react to her choice. Do you think this was the best way to end the novel? Why?

Be sure to use specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 2

My Antonia is primarily a first person narrative written from the point of view of Jim. Discuss how this fact influences the story. What biases does Jim bring to the story? How would the novel be different if another character was telling the story? Cite several specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 3

One of the themes My Antonia explores is family. Discuss what the novel has to say about this theme. Cite several specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.

(see the answer keys)

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