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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 Hephzibah suggest Julian do as assistant curator?

2. Why doesn't Hephzibah tell Julian when the vandalism recurs?

3. Why does Hephzibah feel paranoid?

4. What happens to an Arab man, woman and child on a bus?

5. How does Julian think Hephzibah's family treats him?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where does Sam say Kaddish?

2. Why is Hephzibah concerned about the opening to the museum?

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

4. How do Julian and Hephzibah each blame him/herself for Libor's death?

5. What does Julian realize when he returns to the apartment he shares with Hephzibah and what does he decide?

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

7. What worries Hephzibah about Julian?

8. Why does Libor and a woman walking her dog intervene with some children?

9. Why is Hephzibah feeling paranoid?

10. How is Hephzibah grieving?

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

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.

(see the answer keys)

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