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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 problem has the Prefect to deal with, making his job harder?

2. Who volunteers to help Rieux?

3. What else does Dr Rieux muse about in relation to the plague?

4. What reason does Grand give for his problem?

5. What is the problem regarding the city gates?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Dr. Rieux worried about in Chapter 2?

2. In what way do you think Tarrou and Rieux are of like mind?

3. Who is Joseph Grand?

4. Why is Cottard questioned by the police?

5. Why is news of the plague kept from the people?

6. Who is Jean Tarrou?

7. What is one result of the sudden closing of the city gates?

8. What factors are making life stressful for Dr. Rieux?

9. In Part 2 Chapter 3, what measure is taken by the town leaders?

10. What does Dr. Rieux muse about in Part 1 Chapter 5?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How important is character in this novel? Explain your views, referring closely to the text and focusing in depth on two characters.

Essay Topic 2

The Plague includes conflict between certain ideologies and world views. For example, between those who do not believe in Christianity (like Dr. Rieux) and those who do. There is also action that represents the conflict between the interests of the individual and those of society. Select an area of ideological conflict that interests you and discuss the way this is represented in The Plague. Is the conflict resolved?

Essay Topic 3

Choose two characters from the novel, one appealing, the other not so. Compare and contrast these two characters, referring closely to the text.

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