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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. Which of the following does not happen to the I.P.H.?

2. Where do the Shade's travel to take their minds off their daughter's death?

3. Who raises John Shade during his childhood?

4. Who does King Charles finally marry?

5. On what day did John Shade begin composing his poem "Pale Fire?"

Short Essay Questions

1. Briefly describe John Shade's vision of the after-life.

2. How does Kinbote characterize his relationship with John Shade?

3. Briefly describe Fleur.

4. Briefly describe King Alfin the Vague.

5. How does Nabokov immediately create an artificial reality in the foreword to the novel Pale Fire?

6. How does John Shade understand life?

7. What is Kinbote's secret?

8. How is Kinbote critical of Professor Hurley?

9. What do we learn about John Shade's Aunt Maud in Canto One?

10. What are some early examples of reflection as a theme in the poem "Pale Fire?"

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Using specific examples from the novel, compile the verses of poetry that were omitted from the poem "Pale Fire."

Why do you think Nabokov chooses to include these verses in the novel, but not the poem?

Essay Topic 2

In the commentary to Line 171 Gradus, the assassin, is said to have had a job at a glass factory.

Could this be a figment of Charles Kinbote's imagination, and if so why would Kinbote make up such a job for the assassin?

Why do you think Nabokov chose to have Kinbote give Gradus this job?

Why does Nabokov choose to have Kinbote portray Gradus as a failure at this job?

Does it matter if Gradus really had such a job?

Use specific examples from the text to support your claims.

Essay Topic 3

Using specific examples from the book, describe how Nabokov uses color and climate to describe the setting and characters in Pale Fire, both in the poem and in the commentary.

Do you think this is effective? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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