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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 does the narrator say he believes readers might think he is at the end of the book?

2. From what area does Omar Khayyám hail?

3. Who does the narrator say should be banned to an island?

4. In what year was The Book of Disquiet first published?

5. Who does the narrator say should hope for a way to retire and not have to think about life?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why are women considered to be nothing more than decor by the narrator?

2. When does the narrator say wisdom begins?

3. What does the narrator say about memories that never occurred?

4. What does the narrator like about being sick?

5. Discuss the narrator's conflicting thoughts and statements about his wife.

6. Why doesn't the narrator believe that one person can truly love another?

7. What are the narrator's thoughts on writing perfect literature? Which classic example does he analyze to make his point and what does he say about it?

8. What does the narrator say about tedium?

9. Why does the narrator isolate himself, and how does it affect his sensitivity to worldly things?

10. Why does the narrator dislike reading the newspaper?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the scope of a work of nonfiction. What is the scope of The Book of Disquiet?

Essay Topic 2

Who is Omar Khayyam and what is his relevance to this book?

Essay Topic 3

There are four common points of view in which literature is written: first person, third person objective, third person limited, and third person omniscient. Which point of view does the author use in this book? Is this the most effective point of view for this story? Could this story have been told from a different point of view and still been in the same genre?

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