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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 is one thing in the box Sam finds in his closet that Tyler left to him?

2. What debate started the scuffle outside the Oxford Union?

3. What does Sam realize about Julian?

4. Why does Julian help a fifteen-year-old boy?

5. What does Julian say a little girl claims at a family birthday party?

Short Essay Questions

1. What man interests Sam and what does Hephzibah say about the man and his friends?

2. Why do Hephzibah and Sam decide to say Kaddish for Libor, and why doesn't Julian do so as well?

3. How does Julian cause Libor to cry?

4. Where does Libor invite Emmy and what concerns him about doing so?

5. What does Sam think is so beautiful about Kaddish?

6. How is Hephzibah grieving?

7. What does Sam say about Immanuel's fight?

8. What does Sam doing after losing a lot of money in online poker and who does he encounter?

9. How does Julian end up in the hospital?

10. What does Emmy say about Libor's attitude towards his fellow Jews?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

Choose one of the following to discuss:

1. Choose two significant symbols and trace and analyze their appearance in The Finkler Question. Are these universal symbols? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other symbols that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Jacobson chooses the symbols he does?

2. Choose two important metaphors and trace and analyze their appearance in the novel. Are these universal metaphors? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other metaphors that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Jacobson chooses the metaphors she does?

3. Discuss Jacobson's use (or lack ) of literary device (such as foreshadowing, clifthangers, deux ex machina, etc...), and how they add or detract from the story. Does Jacobson use too many or too little literary techniques? State which of the five major elements of fiction the literary device is related to (style, character, plot, setting, theme).

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. Who is/are the protagonists of the story and why?

2. Who is/are the antagonists of the story and why?

3. Which 3 secondary characters have the greatest impact on the plot?

4. Are any of the characters dispensable and which ones? Why or why not?

5. Do you think this is a character-driven plot or an action-driven plot? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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