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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 nickname does Snow ask Kelvin to call him?

2. How long did it take for spacecraft to visit Solaris after its discovery?

3. What book can't Kelvin find in Gibarian's room?

4. What is Kelvin's prior relationship with Gibarian?

5. What giant human form does Berton see imitated by Solaris' ocean?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the change in light between a red-sun day and a blue-sun day on Solaris.

2. Why is Kelvin surprised by his greeting when he approaches the research station?

3. What reason does Kelvin give for his suggestion about the physical composition of the visitors?

4. Describe Kelvin's first view of Solaris.

5. Why does Kelvin react emotionally to the two sundresses on the floor?

6. Describe the view of Solaris that Kelvin first sees from his room.

7. What is Kelvin wearing when he arrives on the research station?

8. What do Rheya's death and Gibarian's death have in common?

9. What does Kelvin do before removing his spacesuit?

10. Why does Kelvin blame himself for Rheya's death?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One of the main dreams of Solarists is contact with the ocean, and so one of the major thematic elements in Solaris is communication.

1) What are the obstacles to communication in Solaris, both between the ocean and the scientists and between the human characters? What is the effect of a lack of communication?

2) Does the ocean attempt to communicate with the scientists?

3) Is communication possible with the ocean?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss desire, shame, and secrets in the novel.

1) The scientists experience great shame about their visitors. Sartorius hides his visitor in his room. Snow hides his in a locker and never gives a hint of his, her, or its nature. Gibarian kills himself to prevent the discovery of his visitor by the others. Why do the scientists experience such great shame?

2) Kelvin desires Rheya, but he is also overcome with guilt and horror by her. Do the other scientists also desire their visitors at some level? What does this say about the relationship of desire and shame?

3) Why do the characters keep secrets from each other in the novel? Why do the scientists hide their visitors, even though the others can't know the deep-seated emotional connotations connected with those visitors?

Essay Topic 3

In Solaris, Kelvin is faced with his most deeply held guilt and desire. Similarly, the other characters are faced with repressed desires and obsessions, ones that horrify them when they're brought into reality.

1) What does the novel say about mankind's knowledge of himself and his own desires?

2) Are people's deepest desires always confounded with guilt, shame, or other negative emotions?

2) Why can't the scientists, as Kelvin suggests at one point, learn to live openly with their visitors and adjust to the situation over time?

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