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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 does the librarian tell Pnin in Chapter 3 that he refuses to take any responsibility for?

2. How would Pnin be described when he is drunk?

3. Why does Pnin decide to track down a certain professor in Chapter 3?

4. What procedure does Pnin have in Chapter 2?

5. What city did Pnin end up in 1919?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the library request of Pnin in Chapter 3?

2. What poem does Pnin discuss with his class in Chapter 3?

3. What happens when Pnin calls the Clementses to rent the room in their house?

4. What happens when Pnin tries to get his suitcase back from the man at the station in Chapter 1?

5. Why does Pnin seek out Oleg Komarov in Chapter 3?

6. How does Liza use Pnin to get to America?

7. What does Pnin almost encounter when he comes down the stairs during the Clementses' party in Chapter 2?

8. What do Joan and Pnin learn they have in common from their discussion in Chapter 2?

9. What happens to Pnin at the bus station that has been happening since he was a child?

10. Where is Pnin headed at the beginning of Chapter 1?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the character of Liza and her overall affect on Pnin's life. What kind of person is Liza? Did she truly ever love Pnin or was she always using him? Why can't Pnin see Liza for what she truly is? How does Pnin behave when he is around Liza? Is Liza a good influence on Pnin?

Essay Topic 2

There is a lot of emphasis in the novel "Pnin" about what is normal. Explore the theme of normalcy throughout the novel. Is Victor normal even though he is not like other children his age? Is Pnin considered normal even though he has some odd quirks? Who or what determines what is normal?

Essay Topic 3

Pnin has many funny quirks, yet he has fears and some self-confidence issues too. Examine the concepts of fear and self-confidence, exploring how they relate to Pnin. What is the definition of fear? How can having fears affect one's self-confidence? What examples from the book demonstrate what Pnin fears? Would Pnin be considered a self-confident man? Where in the book does Pnin demonstrate his self-confidence, almost to his detriment?

(see the answer keys)

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