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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. Of the following, who is not mentioned in the first Canto?
2. What typically goes on at the I.P.H.?
3. John Shade's aunt is best described as what?
4. When did John Shade meet his wife?
5. Who is King Alfin the Vague's son?
Short Essay Questions
1. How is Kinbote's birthday gift for Shade representative of Kinbote's commentary of the poem?
2. How does John Shade describe himself as a youth in Canto One?
3. Cite an early clue that Charles Kinbote is an unreliable narrator.
4. What are some ways Kinbote tries to make the poem be about himself as opposed to Shade's childhood?
5. How is Kinbote critical of Professor Hurley?
6. Give some examples of translation as a theme in Canto One.
7. List a few possible motivations for Shade's desire to learn more about the after-life.
8. How does Kinbote characterize his relationship with John Shade?
9. Briefly describe John and Sybil Shade's relationship.
10. What are two major criticisms John Shade has of his students? How is this ironic?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Discuss the assonance and consonance in the poem "Pale Fire." How does Nabokov use these literary tools throughout the poem?
Essay Topic 2
Charles Kinbote is an unreliable narrator.
Cite specific examples of how Vladimir Nabokov portrays Kinbote as an unreliable narrator.
Do you think this tactic was effective for the story? Why or why not?
How would the novel, Pale Fire, have been different if Kinbote was a reliable narrator?
Why did Nabokov choose to portray Kinbote the way he did?
Essay Topic 3
Compare Kinbote's actions to those of Gradus. How are these two characters similar?
Why do you think Kinbote describes Gradus the way he does in the commentary to Line 171?
Do you find this description ironic? Why or why not?
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This section contains 804 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) |
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