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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. When the Yephachin women ask what Myshkin thinks of them, who does he avoid commenting on?

2. How did General Yephanchin make his reputation and fortune?

3. What does Nastassya say about Myshkin after his proposal?

4. What does Rogozhin give to Nastassya?

5. What do some guests at the party criticize Myshkin for?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened to the man that Totsky wronged in his story?

2. What is Myshkin and Rogozhin's initial meeting like, when Myshkin visits Rogozhin's house upon returning to St. Petersburg?

3. What does Nastassya say initially to Myshkin's proposal?

4. How did Rogozhin become estranged from his father?

5. What does Yephanchin say that he did to make up for his guilty feelings?

6. How does the General treat Prince Myshkin?

7. How does Totsky describe Nastassya's behavior as she grew up?

8. What does Rogozhin and Lebedev's relationship seem to be like during their conversation on the train?

9. What does Rogozhin describe as having happened between him and Nastassya before she left him?

10. What does Nastassya ask Myshkin, after hearing the stories of the men at the party?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The characters' reactions and actions in the novel are often emotional ones. Discuss emotionalism in the novel.

1) How do Aglaya and Nastassya both react emotionally? How do their emotional reactions influence events and others' perceptions of them? What decisions do they make based on emotions?

2) How are Myshkin and Rogozhin's reactions different? What role does emotion play in each man's life?

3) How are Lebedev, General Ivolgin, Ganja, and other characters emotional? What consequences do their emotional responses contribute to?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the role that money plays in the novel.

1) How does Myshkin's life and position change when he has money? How do others view him when he has money, versus when he doesn't have money?

2) Why does Rogozhin offer Nastassya increasing amounts of money to marry him? Why does Nastassya throw Rogozhin's money into the fire?

3) How do the other characters in the novel view money? Why is money important to Ganja? How does Madam Yephanchin feel about money?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss death in the novel.

1) Discuss Hippolite's attempted suicide and impending death from disease. How does Hippolite perceive death? How does he deal with impending death?

2) Discuss General Ivolgin's death from stroke. What does death mean to the General and those around him? What perspective does his first stroke and eventual death put on his disagreement with Lebedev?

3) Discuss Nastassya's death. What leads up to her death? What does her death mean to Rogozhin and to Myshkin? What does death mean to Nastassya?

(see the answer keys)

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