View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Where does the narrator's mother accuse him of going to eat in Chapter 2?

2. What does the narrator remark about the woman whom his father brings home to dinner?

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

4. What is the narrator's name?

5. What does the narrator's mother tell him to give to his father in Chapter 4?

Short Essay Questions

1. What body-related incidents does the narrator recall in Chapter 3?

2. What does the narrator suspect about the shikse who came to his family's house? Why?

3. Who does the narrator's father hold up as someone to emulate? Why?

4. What resentments does the narrator recall following the family's move from Jersey City?

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

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

7. What is Chapter 2 primarily about?

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

9. What does Alex remark about his father's bowel movements in Chapter 4?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss "Stream of Consciousness" as a stylistic device in the novel. How does this impact the reader's understanding? How does this affect the flow of time?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the theme of Sexual Obsession in Portnoy's Complaint. How does this theme intertwine with the other themes presented? How does this aspect of the narrator's personality drive his action?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of religion in Portnoy's Complaint. How does the narrator express his issues with Judaism? What are his feelings toward Christianity? How does religion tie into the other themes in the novel?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 777 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample