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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 Julius say his generation is the first generation not to be familiar with?

2. What does Julius tell his friend he wanted from Dr. Saito in Chapter 15?

3. In Chapter 15, where does Dr. Saito tell Julius he is ready to go?

4. What was the subject of the cantatas Julius had heard at Lincoln Center, before coming to visit Dr. Saito?

5. How does Julius prepare himself for winter?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to Julius when he forgets to bring his checkbook to the accountant, and why is it disturbing?

2. What does Dr. Saito tell Julius when he visits him in his illness?

3. How is Julius affected by V.’s death?

4. How does Julius explain his views about psychiatry to his friend?

5. How does Julius say that he reacted when he saved the boy’s life who had been about to drown?

6. What is Julius’ reaction to meeting Moji Kasali?

7. What is Julius’ state of mind while he is reading the newspaper to Dr. Saito?

8. How does Julius characterize his trip to the tailor to get clothing for his father’s funeral?

9. What odd scene does Julius witness in the diner, where someone is learning Chinese?

10. What are Julius’ dreams like, after he hears about Dr. Saito’s bedbugs?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is missing from this book? What should have been covered or presented that was not? What is the effect of this absence? Describe an element that ought to have been covered, and explain why it would have made the book stronger.

Essay Topic 2

The surprise revelation that Julius had raped Moji as a child puts the reader in the position of revising his or her estimation of Julius’ narrative, and revisit the narrative for evidence that would exonerate or condemn Julius. This basically constitutes a second reading of the book. How do you respond to this impetus? Do you want to go back and figure him out? Is Julius a puzzle you want to resolve? Or are there things about Julius or about the novel that make you hesitant or even unwilling to invest the work in figuring him out? What makes you want to figure him out? What makes you want to leave him and his mystery to themselves?

Essay Topic 3

Would you recommend Open City to a friend? What kind of friend would you recommend Open City to? What kind of friend would you not recommend this book to? What does this distinction tell you about the qualities of the novel itself? What does it tell you about your own critical values?

(see the answer keys)

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