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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. When does the narrator say his mother did not kiss him goodnight as a small child?

2. What does the narrator say happened to his belief in the elegance of women?

3. What does the narrator admire most about the church in Combray?

4. Who visits the narrator's family most often when he is a young boy?

5. What does Uncle Adolphe suggest Swann do to get Odette to love him more?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the narrator do every day at Champs-Elysees in "Place-Names"?

2. What happens the first time the narrator meets Bergotte?

3. What does the narrator learn about the Swanns when he talks about them with his mother in "Place-Names"?

4. In "Combray," why does the narrator read a lot?

5. In "Place-Names," what does the narrator say has changed about his faith since his childhood?

6. How is M. Swann associated with the narrator's family?

7. In "Mme. Swann at Home," how does the narrator feel about his relationship with Gilberte?

8. Why does the narrator visit his Uncle Adolphe frequently in "Combray"?

9. What happens when Swann spends time away from Odette in "Swann In Love"?

10. In "Overture," how does the narrator describe his sleep?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The narrator struggles with his career as a writer in this novel, receiving advice from friends, family, and even the famous author, Bergotte. Describe the narrator's relationship with his writing and how it develops throughout the novel. How does the narrator's art of writing compare with the art of other characters? What does this mean in a novel considered to be semi-autobiographical?

Essay Topic 2

What role does the military play in this novel? How do the characters feel toward the military? How is it significant that Saint-Loup is in the military? What does the military and military action represent in this novel.

Essay Topic 3

Explain what happens to end the relationship between the narrator's family and Uncle Adolphe. Why did this happen? What does this tell the reader about the narrator's family and society? How does Uncle Adolphe's affair differ from the other affairs in this novel?

(see the answer keys)

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