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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 "Place-Names: The Place, Part II," what does M. de Charlus give the narrator before bed?

2. Who does the narrator pretend to be interested in when he really likes Albertine?

3. What is the reputation of Marquise Robert de Saint-Loup?

4. What does Albertine do the first time the narrator tries to kiss her?

5. How does the narrator's father believe Mme. de Villeparisis will be able to inspire the narrator's writing?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does M. de Charlus feel about the narrator's grandmother in "Place-Names: The Place, Part II"?

2. What happens when Saint-Loup's mother arrives at Mme. de Villeparisis's party?

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

4. What does the narrator learn about Bergotte when he visits the grandmother during her illness?

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

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

7. What does Francoise do while in Balbec?

8. How does Saint-Loup get along with servants?

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

10. How does the narrator feel about the people in Balbec?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the narrator's relationship with Gilberte mirror the relationship between M. Swann and Odette? Where do they differ? What is the literary value in paralleling these relationships? What is the lesson the author creates?

Essay Topic 2

What is so significant about the implied death of M. Swann? Why has the author chosen to end the novel this way? What does this mean for the narrator and the plot in general?

Essay Topic 3

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?

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