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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 Elstir do to help the narrator meet Albertine?

2. In "Seascape, with Frieze of Girls," what game does the narrator fail at while playing with Albertine?

3. While in Balbec, what does the narrator offer a local girl who delivers a note for him?

4. Who used to visit a house M. de Charlus discusses at dinner in Balbec with the narrator and his grandmother?

5. What family does Saint-Loup tell the narrator about in "Place-Names: The Place, Part II"?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does the narrator want Saint-Loup to talk to Mme. Guermantes in "Guermantes Way, Part I"?

2. Which of Elstir's paintings catches the attention of the narrator in "Seascape, with Frieze of Girls"?

3. What does Francoise do while in Balbec?

4. How does the narrator feel before leaving for his trip to Balbec?

5. While in Balbec, how does Francoise react to Mme. de Villeparisis?

6. What happens in "Guermantes Way, Part I" when the narrator's grandmother becomes ill?

7. What happens when the narrator runs into Professor E in "Guermantes Way, Part I continued"?

8. In "Place-Names: The Place, Part II," how does the narrator interact with the local Balbec girls?

9. What happens the first time the narrator meets Marquise Robert de Saint-Loup?

10. While in Balbec, what upsets the narrator about running into the Marquise de Villeparisis?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Bloch and Saint-Loup are two of the narrator's friends. What does each friend have to offer with their friendship? What events in the novel helped to further define these friendships? In what ways are these friends similar? Different? How do these friendships help create a full picture of the narrator?

Essay Topic 2

There are several houses in this novel. Select three houses and compare and contrast them. Consider the families that reside there, the events that take place there and the reputation of each house. How are houses valued in this novel and why?

Essay Topic 3

Mme. Swann is a woman with a reputation. Explain how her reputation creates her value in the eyes of the other characters. What does she symbolize for her society and times?

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