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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. Who is Galater?

2. What did Sortini order Amalia to do in his letter?

3. What is Erlanger doing when K. first sees him?

4. Why does Hans think his father might be sympathetic toward K.?

5. What type of apprenticeship does Barnabas have?

Short Essay Questions

1. When does K. plan on visiting Hans' mother?

2. What does K. hope that Barnabas' good news was?

3. Why has Hans come to see K. and what is he supposed to be doing instead?

4. Where do Jeremias and Frieda go to work after K. leaves?

5. What reason does Erlanger give K. the request Erlanger is making during the meeting?

6. What does Barnabas' family think about his job with the Castle?

7. How does Frieda initially react to K.'s explanation of his relationship with Barnabas' family?

8. What is Frieda afraid might happen to he if her mother's warnings are right?

9. How does K. respond to what Barnabas tells him about the Castle?

10. At what event does Amalia's family's disgrace begin?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss love in the novel.

1) Does K. love Frieda? How do you know? What is K.'s attitude toward love?

2) Does Frieda love K.? How do you know? What is Frieda's attitude toward love?

3) Do the characters in the novel love Klamm? How is their love for Klamm expressed, and how is it different from their love for each other? What does the landlady of the Bridge Inn's feelings for Klamm say about love?

Essay Topic 2

In the novel, the bureaucracy of the Castle is both very powerful and lacking in power. Discuss this dynamic.

1) In what ways is the bureaucracy of the Castle powerful? How does it control people's actions?

2) In what ways does the bureaucracy of the Castle lack power? How does K. manage to defy the bureaucracy?

3) How does the bureaucracy's power, and lack of power, affect Amalia and her family?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss insults in the novel.

1) Amalia perceives the letter she receives as an insult. Why does she have this perception? How does she respond to it? Could it be interpreted in any other way? Would the rest of the culture see the letter as an insult?

2) Amalia insults both the official and the secretary when she tears up the letter and throws it at the secretary. How do their feelings of being insulted compare to Amalia's? What are the consequences of both insults?

3) In what other situations do characters feel insulted? What are the causes and results of insults, and what role does this play in the culture of the village?

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