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| Name: _________________________ | Period: ___________________ |
This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.
Short Answer Questions
1. Which character leaves the dining room at the beginning of Chapter 4?
2. Before closing the day before, Tamkin closed out a lard contract and bought what instead?
3. In reality, in what commodity has Tamkin moved Wilhelm's money?
4. How much have Wilhelm and Tamkin invested together?
5. Who says, "You really are a killer-diller."?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Throughout the book, alienation is presented as a theme. Wilhelm is the most striking example of this alienation.
Part 1) How is Wilhelm alienated in this story? To what extent is it his own doing and to what extent is it thrust upon him by the other characters? Why do you think this? Cite specific examples from the text.
Part 2) Many characters in this book are also alienated in their own way. Discuss the characters of Dr. Adler and Tamkin and analyze how they are alienated. Use specific examples from the text.
Part 3) Alienation has a powerful effect on the motivations of our characters. How does alienation affect Wilhelm in the story? Do you think the story would be different if he were not alienated? How would it change?
Essay Topic 2
The title of the book, Seize the Day, is used twice in the text, by two different characters.
Part 1) What does "seize the day" mean?
Part 2) Who uses the phrase? Is it used differently the first time it's used and the second? Why or why not?
Part 3) Why do you think Saul Bellow chose this title for his book?
Essay Topic 3
Wilhelm struggles with many things in his life, but above all he appears to have lost his identity.
Part 1) When we meet Wilhelm, he has lost a job. How might this event have contributed to his loss of identity? How does he try to get it back?
Part 2) Wilhelm is also substantially alienated from the characters in the book. Does this alienation affect his inability to find an identity? Why or why not?
Part 3) Wilhelm turns to Tamkin for support in his search for identity. Why does he turn to Tamkin? Do you think Tamkin is qualified to help Wilhelm rediscover his identity? Why or why not?
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This section contains 374 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) |
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