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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 much does Serge say people get for manslaughter in their country?

2. How old is Michel when Paul speaks to the principal in Chapter 30?

3. To what does Paul compare his emotional transition when speaking with the principal in Chapter 30?

4. What does Paul order for dessert at the restaraunt?

5. From whom does Michel gotten LPs when he was eight?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Paul consider about children when speaking with the psychologist in Chapter 31?

2. Why does Serge and Babette come to Paul's home when Claire is in the hospital? How does Paul respond?

3. What has Paul prepared for dinner when Serge and Babette visit while Claire is in the hospital? Why?

4. How does Paul deal with Michel while Claire is ill?

5. What treatment does Paul receive for his medical condition?

6. Why does Paul wish for a war or terrorist attack in Chapter 24?

7. What is a flashback? How are flashbacks used in The Dinner?

8. How does Paul's house appear when Babette and Serge visit while Claire is in the hospital?

9. What response does Claire have as she and Paul watch the surveillance video on television?

10. What is clear about the behavior and actions of the perpetrators in the security video Paul watches on the news?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explore Michel and Rick as examples of their generation. Are they typical in their indifference and nihilism, or are teens in the information age more socially conscious than ever? What can be derived by the actions of these characters?

Essay Topic 2

Who is ultimately responsible for the homeless woman's death? What does the novel attempt to communicate about society's responsibility towards its most vulnerable populations? What is the role of the privileged classes?

Essay Topic 3

The theme of family is a critical element in The Dinner. Write an essay exploring how the theme of family is developed in the novel. Are the families presented in the novel unusual or the norm? What is the author trying to communicate about human nature by presenting these two families as expressions of the theme?

(see the answer keys)

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