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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. How many drinks has Paul had when he awaits Michel's arrival in Chapter 20?

2. Paul listens to voicemails on Michel's phone from whom?

3. What does Paul have to explain to the hostess at the restaurant, which greatly annoys him?

4. When Michel finds Paul, what lie does Paul tell him?

5. How old is Rick when his brother is adopted?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Serge's wine expertise regarded by Paul?

2. To what films does Paul compare the setting and people of Dordogne in Chapter 12?

3. Where do Paul and Claire go before the restaurant? Why?

4. How does Paul describe his feelings about his brother?

5. How is the restaurant described?

6. What is the significance of the white sneakers in the video?

7. How is Serge perceived by the public?

8. How does Paul describe his brother's eating behavior?

9. What film is described by Claire as the most racist film ever in Chapter 13? Why?

10. From what narrative perspective is the novel related? Why is this important?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the importance of the setting in The Dinner. What is the main setting of the novel? What settings are described in flashbacks? How might this novel differ if set in a different country? How would it differ if set in a different type of restaurant?

Essay Topic 2

What does the story of Michel and Rick tell us about nature/nurture? How does Beau view his adaptive family? What have they taught him about how to succeed in the world?

Essay Topic 3

The meal in The Dinner is delivered in courses meant to develop a sense of anticipation in the diners. Write an essay exploring the novel's use of the dinner courses as an ongoing symbol. How does the meal motif echo the reading experience? How does the course-oriented structure mirror the escalating tensions over the course of the evening? What was the author attempting to communicate by organizing the novel this way?

(see the answer keys)

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