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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. Where does Amy work?

2. How long is Nathan's short story that he references in Chapter 2?

3. What is Hope's Moscow, according to Lonoff?

4. How long has Nathan let his father stew?

5. Who can play Chopin well?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Zuckerman skeptical of the party-goers' analysis of Lonoff?

2. Why does Zuckerman contact Lonoff?

3. Why does Zuckerman's father say everyone stopped by on the Sunday Zuckerman was home before leaving for Quahsay?

4. What response does Zuckerman get when he mentions Lonoff's name at a publishing party?

5. What does Zuckerman tell Lonoff when he asks Zuckerman about his life in Chapter 1?

6. What is surprising to Zuckerman about the typewriter in Lonoff's study?

7. How does Zuckerman describe a typical Lonoff hero?

8. Describe the Zuckerman family's typical Sunday brunch.

9. Describe the man Nathan Zuckerman meets in the beginning of Chapter 1.

10. What does Zuckerman's first reading of Lonoff's work show him about his own life?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Lonoff's wife, Hope, is an important element of "The Ghost Writer." Write a response explaining the importance of Hope in the story and the role she plays in the plot. What happens to Hope that affects the other characters in the story? Use specific examples from the story in the response.

Essay Topic 2

The theme of identity is prevalent throughout the story - from Zuckerman looking to form his identity as a writer to Amy finding her identity as a student. Write a response exploring the theme of identity in the story as presented by the main characters. What is an identity? What types of identities are presented in the story? Use specific examples from the text in the response.

Essay Topic 3

Philip Roth tends to use some of his characters as alter egos of himself. Explore Roth's use of characters in "The Ghost Writer" as alter egos. Who is Roth's alter ego in the story? Can more than one character serve as an alter ego? How do the characters become alter egos? Use specific examples from the story in the response.

(see the answer keys)

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