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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 is Christopher's attitude toward Fraulein Schroeder?

2. In what month is Section 5 set?

3. Christopher refers to his series of vignettes as a:

4. What is the profession of Fraulein Kost?

5. Where does Christopher go after he leaves Berlin?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the overall format of the book? What is one of the main recurring themes?

2. What does Christopher discover when he returns to the Nowak house to pick up Otto?

3. What is the nature of the relationship between Peter and Otto?

4. Peter shows several instances of mental illness. Describe the illness and what Peter has chosen to do about it.

5. What was Christopher's reaction to being flirted with by two of the three ill women at the sanitarium?

6. What is the phrase the narrator uses to describe himself?

7. How does the narrator describe Sally Bowles?

8. With which two family members does Christopher seem to connect with the most?

9. How does the author describe Peter and Otto?

10. What precipitates Sally's move from her residence? Where does she go?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the peculiar relationship between Norris and Schmidt. Was the relationship purely professional? Why did the men repeatedly get back together if the relationship was volatile? Why do you think Schmidt followed Norris to Mexico and California? Why did Norris put up with Schmidt's drunken abuse? What do you think Schmidt knew about Norris that others did not?

Essay Topic 2

Many of the characters in both novellas seem to be transient, moving from place to place, almost at the drop of a hat. Why do you think it was popular to move in with another person or family, even if you had just met? Why did Christopher choose to move in with the Nowaks? Was it common practice or something that was related to the time period and/or the atmosphere of Berlin?

Essay Topic 3

It is obvious that many of the characters in the book are homosexual or bisexual, although that precise word is never used. Why do you think Isherwood made many references to this behavior but avoided using any explicit reference to homosexuality and bisexuality? Cite various passages in the text that show a character's sexuality and discuss how it is referenced by Isherwood. Is Isherwood bisexual or homosexual? How do you know?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 685 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample