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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 happens to the statue in the church on festival day?

2. What does Pascali realize he loves as he loves the island?

3. How has Pascali betrayed himself as a spy unintentionally?

4. What does Pascali think about him and this recent arrival?

5. To whom is Pascali writing?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is the symbolism of the sky and sea used again in this chapter?

2. In continuing his report to the Sultan, what parallels does Pascali note?

3. How does Pascali represent the theme of violence symbolically?

4. How is the concept of lighting discussed and interpreted by Pascali

5. What is one theme that seems to be developing in this section?

6. How does Pascali seem to view the idea of violence in this section?

7. How might Pascali actually be creating a wall between him and the townspeople and then misinterpreting the townspeople's actions?

8. How is Pascali's visit to Lydia a metaphor for the Ottoman Empire?

9. What are some signs of the high level of tension present on the island?

10. Why is Pascali very careful about how he describes Bowles to Izzet?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There are a number of themes that run as a thread throughout the novel. Choose one of the following questions and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. Trace the development of the political theme. Use specific examples to illustrate how this theme is expressed. Analyze the examples and offer an analysis of the existing political situation during this novel.

2. Trace the development of the theme of duality. Use specific examples to illustrate how this theme is expressed. Analyze the examples and offer an analysis of the how the concept of duality manifest in character personalities and in the physical setting.

3. Trace the development of the theme of deception. Use specific examples to illustrate how this theme is expressed. Analyze the examples and offer an analysis as to why this theme is central to the novel's plot.

Essay Topic 2

Greed informs the actions of many of the characters and ultimately leads to the actual deaths of several of them. Answer the following questions by writing a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text, your research or personal experience:

1. List the major characters in order of how greedy they seem to be; include Pascali, Bowles, Lydia, Pasha, Izzet, and Smith--and any others you choose. How does greed affect each character?

2. Why do you put whoever you chose in the position of being the greediest? The least greedy? Do you consider any of the major characters as not having any inclinations towards greed? Why or why not?

3. Do you think any of these characters are justified in being greedy? Why or why not? Is greed EVER justified? Why or why not.

Essay Topic 3

In Section 15, when Pascali is assisting Bowles in digging out the statue, Pascali realizes that, for the first time, he and Bowles are friends, working together for a single goal. Choose one of the following questions and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text, your research or personal experience:

1. What goes on between the two men as they are working that changes Pascali's view of Bowles? Do you think this view is just temporary? Why or why not? What about the two men's characters enable them to shift from one way of relating to a different one so easily?

2. Sometimes when two people or groups begin to communicate who they really are, a shifting of viewpoints takes place and former hostility and enmity can be transformed. Discuss this idea first from your personal experience and then in taking a current hostile situation and discuss how this idea could change the situation--this can be hostility between kids at the school you attend (for example, athletes versus "nerds"), your community, town, city, country or country versus country or ethnic group versus ethnic group.

3. What do you think shifts that enables Pascali to betray Bowles? Was Pascali only pretending friendship at the evacuation site? What did you think about the portrayal of these two men as friends and then Pascali turning around and setting up the circumstances of Bowles's death? Did this change your opinion of Pascali? Did you admire him less? Like him less? What do you think Pascali thought about himself after that?

(see the answer keys)

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