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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. In which of Celine's books does his character Molly appear?

2. Chapter 8 "Those Females Who Wreck the Infinite" begins with a quote by whom?

3. During the 1930s, what group does Kristeva say was calling for equality?

4. Kristeva begins Chapter 6 "Celine: Neither Actor Nor Martyr" with a quote by whom?

5. Kristeva says a laughing apocalypse is an apocalypse without what?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Kristeva say it is rash to ignore any value one might find in the Anti-Semitism in Celine's work?

2. How does Kristeva say Celine displaced the mother in his depiction of very young girls?

3. Describe Celine's mother type of character.

4. How does Kristeva say Celine seemed to feel about human identities?

5. How, according to Kristeva, do Celine's works draw the reader to their primal repressions?

6. Why does Kristeva say it makes sense that Celine would say his style was the most important part of his writing?

7. Why does Kristeva say that in Germany, even when Jews were seriously persecuted, they were punished with an increased vigor?

8. What does Kristeva say makes literature "abject"?

9. Why might Kristeva say many of Celine's stylistic choices be called anti-linguistic or anti-grammatical?

10. How did Celine seem to feel about the French language and the English language?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Kristeva's reasoning for saying Celine's Nazism should not deter from the value of his work. What does Kristeva say about Celine's Nazism? Why does she say it need not detract from his writings? Does it seem like she is making excuses, or is what she says valid? What techniques does Kristeva use to convey her views on his Nazism?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Celine's views on human suffering and Kristeva's interpretation of this. Why did he believe that to be human is to suffer? How does Kristeva relate this sentiment to the abject? How does she then relate suffering to horror? What does she say man is afraid of? How do these feelings unify people?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the motif of incest in the book. Why do you think Kristeva spends so much time on this topic? Why does she say there is such a taboo around incest? How does it relate to the abject? What does she seem to think about this taboo?

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