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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 the assistant commissioner speaks with him early in the evening of the Greenwich Park blast, the secretary of state is in what condition?

2. When asked, what is it that the secretary of state is told that makes it unnecessary to incarcerate the person he is concerned about?

3. To which neighborhood does the Assistant Commissioner travel quickly by hansom from Soho on the evening of the Greenwich Park blast?

4. On the evening of Stevie's death, when Winnie goes upstairs, what does her husband think she is going to do?

5. What is the reason Mr. Verloc offers for Stevie accompanying him on a little country vacation?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who does the assistant commissioner go to see at the start of Chapter 7? What figure of speech is used to compare these two figures? And what does the person the assistant commission visits express as his initial concern?

2. What action does Mr. Verloc take when Mrs. Verloc goes upstairs following her confrontation with him in the kitchen after she learned of Stevie's death?

3. What does Mr. Verloc attempt to stress to his wife regarding the death of her sibling?

4. What exchange takes place between Mr. and Mrs. Verloc on the afternoon he returns from his out-of-country trip, when he announces he is interested in taking a walk?

5. What is the assistant commissioner watching at the conclusion of Chapter 7 and what does he observe?

6. What does Mrs. Verloc's sibling do when a cab driver whips his horse on the ride over to the charity home? Why does her sibling reaction in this way?

7. Describe what Mrs. Verloc's mother is doing at the start of Chapter 8 and what is motivating her?

8. Describe what is compared to the sound of an insane clock at the conclusion of Chapter 11?

9. What does the assistant commissioner do upon completion of his meeting with Sir Ethelred, and what does he encounter?

10. Shortly after murdering Mr. Verloc, which individual does Winnie encounter in the street offering his assistance, and why is it ironic?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Conrad skillfully uses dilemmas faced by characters within his novel. These are situations where the characters must make choices that have consequences. At the start of the story, Mr. Verloc must choose whether he will satisfy Mr. Vladimir's desire for the bombing of a science center, or risk losing his financial support and possibly his well-being. Select four situations where characters face dilemmas. Detail the choices that must be made, the consequences they need to consider, and what motivates them to take the paths they choose. Do any of them have the same motivation(s)?

Essay Topic 2

Mr. Verloc has friends of his who are members of the International Red Committee as guests discussing social reform and terrorism. Examine how the author uses his novel, The Secret Agent, as a satire on anarchism.

Essay Topic 3

The professor is never identified beyond his nickname, however, his character is a significant one in the story. Examine his encounter initially with Ossipon in Chapter 4 and once again in Chapter 13. Examine the professor's personality before and subsequent to the bomb explosion, and compare it to Ossipon's before and subsequent to the death of Winnie.

(see the answer keys)

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