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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. After leaving the library in Chapter 3, what does Pnin decide to do for the night?

2. What does Laurence learn from Pnin, in Chapter 2, that helps to change how he feels about him?

3. In what year did Pnin leave his home country?

4. In Chapter 3, which poet's poem does Pnin discuss concerning the uncertainty of death?

5. How does Mrs. Clements react to Laurence not wanting Pnin to stay in their house?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What word does Pnin look up in the dictionary and why?

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

4. Why has the daughter of Laurence and Joan Clements left home, and what do they now have available?

5. What happens during Pnin's class that is embarrassing in Chapter 3?

6. Where is Pnin a professor at in Chapter 1?

7. What other people occupy Pnin's coach on the train in Chapter 1?

8. What does Pnin have a fascination with, like many Russians, that gets him lost?

9. Describe Pnin's fellow professor, Oleg Komarov.

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the character of Professor Timofey Pnin. Where is Pnin from and what is his first language? Is his character likable? Does one feel pity for his character? What is engaging about Pnin? What are his strengths and weaknesses?

Essay Topic 2

In "Pnin", one of the writing styles that the author uses is his choice of narrator. Explore the different styles of narrators for fiction writing, particularly analyzing the third-person narratives used in "Pnin". How important is the narrator to the story? What are the different types of narrators? Why does the particular type of narrator that Vladimir Nabokov chose for "Pnin" such a good choice? When does the narrator reveal himself to the reader? What is so unique about this type of narrator? How?

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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