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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. Who decides to take care of Julian during Julian's illness?

2. At what type of event does Yale confront Roman?

3. Arnaud reports that Claire is living in what type of location outside of Paris?

4. What position does Fiona hold at the furniture store when Claire starts coming to help?

5. What term does Damian use in his phone conversation with Fiona that "she used to find charming" (162)?

Short Essay Questions

1. Dr. Cheng makes what distinction between secrecy and shame in his conversation with Yale?

2. Who is waiting for Yale when he returns home from a business trip and who is also home, but does not reveal himself?

3. When Yale speaks to his father over the phone, the narrator reveals that Yale has not told his father about what subjects?

4. What techniques does Makkai use in order to portray Yale's mood as he returns home from a business trip?

5. What "double good news" (231) does Arnaud reveal to Fiona at Richard's house in Paris?

6. What conclusion does Yale draw about the bad news he hears from Teresa?

7. Explain Fiona's acquisition of Nico's friends as her own friends.

8. What biological family member do Fiona and Cecily share in common?

9. What major news does Yale receive from Teresa, Charlie's mother?

10. In what way does the narrator describe Fiona's feelings during the birth of Claire?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Look carefully at the passages of The Great Believers that describe the close relationship between Nico and his sister Fiona. What is Makkai’s purpose for discussing at length the nature of Fiona’s closeness to her brother Nico prior to his death?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze the interplay between the resolution of The Great Believers and one of the novel's main messages. How does Makkai make connections between these elements and how does their juxtaposition help to get across one main message of the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Focus especially on elements prevalent within the text, such as the unfolding of the AIDS crisis, the pursuit of monogamy, and the effects of homophobia on the American family.

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This section contains 885 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample