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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 narrator keep hidden in the basement for the purpose of pleasuring himself?

2. What is the term used for a non-Jewish girl?

3. Where did the narrator's father take him once a month when he was young?

4. Who is the shikse who comes to dinner with the narrator's father?

5. What is the name of the cleaning woman who works for the narrator's family?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the protagonist's principle memories of his father from early childhood?

2. What does the narrator say he grew up to NOT be, at least, in Chapter 4? Why?

3. What does the narrator's mother believe he has been eating in Chapter 2? How does she react?

4. How does the narrator describe his sister in their early years?

5. What does the narrator's mother do to him when he is "bad?" How does he react?

6. What story does Alex tell about his mother and lobster?

7. What does Alex say his parents complain about regarding his sister and her husband in Chapter 4?

8. Who does the main character think all of his teachers are in disguise? Why?

9. How did the narrator's father feel about his job? How did he express his feelings to his family?

10. Why does the young Alex believe he has cancer?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast the characters of Portnoy's parents. How do his mother and father compare as role models? Who is the dominant figure? How does the protagonist feel about each parent?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the misogynistic elements of the novel and particularly those of the main character. How does Alex's behavior toward women exude misogynist traits? How does his phraseology?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the phrase "Living a Jewish Joke." How does this resonate as an important element of Portnoy's Complaint? How does the ending of the novel revisit this line?

(see the answer keys)

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