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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 kind of animal is Pulkheria's favorite pet?

2. What does Ivan join at the age of 17?

3. Who does most of the old couple's work on the farm?

4. What does Solokha steal?

5. What is the most remarkable thing about the couple's house?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is remarkable about Afanasy's house?

2. Describe Ivan's time in the regiment?

3. What is the curse that Petro had put upon him?

4. Why is Katerina so frightened as she travels home with her husband?

5. How does Grigory react when Ivan asks him about signing over the deed?

6. How does Valuka gain possession of the devil's shoes?

7. Why does Ivan have to retire from the regiment?

8. How do the three students come upon the farmstead?

9. How does Afansay react to Pulkheria's death?

10. How does Valuka gain back his self respect?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the author's writing style. How would you describe the author's prose style? What kind of vocabulary does he use? What meaning does the author's style give to the story?

Essay Topic 2

What does Gogol say about faith? How does he use story elements such as characterization and setting to express his view? Is the theme is still relevant today?

Essay Topic 3

Choose two characters, and write an essay comparing and contrasting them.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 675 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample