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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 Julian not understand about his friend Libor?

2. What does Libor tell Julian to go ahead and do?

3. What was Tyler's feeling about Sam's appearance on "Desert Island Discs"?

4. Who is Tamara Krausz?

5. About what do Sam and Libor debate over dinner when Julian is there?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Alfredo explain knowing Sam and knowing about Julian's mugging?

2. How do Sam and Libor say and think concerning Sam and Julian?

3. What do Tyler and Julian do and what is their thought about it?

4. Who does Julian meet at a party and what do they do?

5. What is Libor's first date after widowhood like for him?

6. How do Sam and Tyler respond to Sam's invitation to join the ASHamed Jews?

7. How does Sam respond to Libor's dinner invitation?

8. What does a Gypsy woman tell Julian when he is on a school holiday in Barcelona?

9. What does Libor tell Julian to go ahead and do and how does Libor start Julian on the path?

10. What does Julian not understand about his friend Libor?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think The Finkler Question is? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 2

As Sam and Libor discuss their deceased wives, Sam envies Libor's range of grief and measures his husbandly worth against Libor's. Libor was always faithful to Malkie, and though Sam feels guilty for his infidelities, "It takes two to create fidelity, and while he wouldn't go so far as to say Tyler was not worthy of his, she certainly hadn't made it easy." It seems as though Julian is jealous of the grief that he imagines Sam and Libor experience, but Sam is jealous that Libor is actually mourning for his wife while Sam is simply angry that things did not work out the way he expected.

1. Do you think if a person loses a spouse and does not grieve as much as what most people think they should it means it was a bad relationship? Why or why not? Use examples from your own life and the book to support your answer.

2. Discuss the reasons you think Sam believes that Tyler was partly responsible for him being unfaithful. Use examples from your own life and the book to support your answer.

3. Discuss the reasons Julian might be jealous of Sam and Libor and what you think he should do about his jealousy. Use examples from your own life and the book to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

The Finkler Question belongs to the comic novel genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the comic novel genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think is the difference between a comic novel and a mystery?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,148 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample