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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 Julius’ thoughts about the Africans he had seen in Le Panais make him think about the cleaning woman in the church?

2. What does Julius say the snow-covered city makes him feel in Chapter 14?

3. What does Julius say about Moji’s beauty, during the picnic in Central Park?

4. How many times does Julius try his PIN in various cash machines before he gives up in Chapter 13?

5. What trait does Moji see in Julius that is consistent from the time he forced himself on her till the present moment?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How does Julius describe the beating he suffered at the hands of the two youth?

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

4. How does the model of New York from the 1964 World’s Fair serve as a metaphor for the book?

5. Chapter 11 marks the end of “Part 1: Death is a perfection of the eye.” In what way is this title appropriate to the first 11 chapters?

6. What does Julius say his relationship with winter is like?

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

8. How does Julius respond when his friend’s girlfriend Lise-Anne asks him about the most humorous cases he had seen among the mentally ill?

9. Why has Julius missed Dr. Saito’s death?

10. What is the postcard Julius keeps on the corkboard behind his desk?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write a character sketch of the author based on his style and content. What can we tell about him, based on the choices he makes in terms of description, characterization and plot? What values does he hold dear? What are his hopes and fears? What kind of person do you think he is? Anchor your sketch with passages in the book.

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

The character of Julius spends a great deal of time “reading” the external world of the city, telling what stories he knows about neighborhoods and historical figures and events—but what strategies does Julius use, for finding the internal experience of people, and getting to know the deeper life of individuals? What role does loneliness play, in Julius’ world? How much space does he have for other people? Does he welcome them in, or keep them out? What clues does Teju Cole give us about the character’s psychology on this question?

(see the answer keys)

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