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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. Why does Sabbath not want to be buried next to Drenka?

2. Is Sabbath's breakdown in front of Norman staged or real?

3. What does Sabbath think that Michelle is trying to communicate to him by what she is wearing?

4. Why does Sabbath refuse to read the newspapers that Norman gives him?

5. What does Michelle say about Helen as Sabbath is telling his story?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why are a few pages of Part 6 written without punctuation?

2. How does Sabbath convince Michelle to have an affair with him?

3. What does Sabbath notice in Fish's house?

4. In Part 8, why does Sabbath go to the cemetery?

5. Why does Sabbath think that Norman and Linc chose to produce his show?

6. What story does Norman encourage Sabbath to tell Michelle at dinner?

7. What is contained in the note that Norman leaves on the table for Sabbath on the first morning of his stay?

8. What happened at Sabbath's trial for public indecency?

9. In Part 6, why does Sabbath liken himself to Rip Van Winkle?

10. How does Sabbath locate the cemetery where his parents are buried?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sabbath lost all interest in directing when Nikki disappeared. Why? What was so different about directing when he no longer had Nikki as his leading lady? Would Sabbath have continued to direct if Nikki had stayed? Would there have been any future in it for him? Why or why not? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 2

Sabbath didn't want a faithful, exclusive relationship with Drenka when she was alive, but he was tortured by jealousy after she died. What did her death change? Why did his attitude change so much? Why was he unwilling to admit to Drenka that he was already being faithful to her? Was his explanation, that no other women wanted him, accurate? Or was he just refusing to admit that he was being faithful by choice? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 3

Does Sabbath show any personal growth through the course of the novel? Does he change or mature in any way? If so, what is it? If not, why? Is he a sympathetic character? Why or why not? In what ways does Sabbath choose his own fate? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

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