View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Alex do when he hears about Joanna?

2. Who calls Alex about Joanna?

3. What is the Gion?

4. Of what does Joanna assure everyone?

5. What is Carrera's response to his caller's concerns?

Short Essay Questions

1. What new character is introduced in Chapter 32 and what might the reader suspect about him and why?

2. Where does Alex go with Joanna and what becomes clear to them about her?

3. What nightmare awakens Joanna at the beginning of the novel and what does she do when she gets up?

4. Who comes to the hospital and sits with Wayne and why do you think this person does that?

5. What does Alex realize about Joanna when he keeps thinking about her?

6. What does Joanna have when she gets back in her apartment and what do you think might be the reason?

7. What do you think Alex feels about Joanna despite his cynicism?

8. What does Carrera learn about Joanna from a phone call and how does he respond? What might the reader deduce from this response?

9. How does Joanna wake from her recurring nightmare? How often does she have it and why do you think she will not do anything about it?

10. What does Mariko encourage Alex to do and why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Alex realizes he has seen Joanna before. She was a kidnap case he worked on. The chances that Alex would end up in the city where this woman has been hiding out for twelve years seems to be astronomical, tipping the reader off to the idea that something may be at work here that is not completely clear at this point.

1. Do you think Alex ending up in a city half way across the world and walking into a lounge where the singer is the woman he had looked for ten years earlier is a stretch of the imagination? Why or why not?

2. After researching narrative contrivance explain, with examples of why you think the above situation may or may not be one.

3. Discuss a remarkable coincidence that has occurred in your life, in the life of someone you knew or one that you heard or read about. Include in your discussion why it might illustrate the saying: "Life is stranger than fiction."

Essay Topic 2

Joanna suddenly begins reciting an odd sentence. Alex recognizes the line from a science fiction novel called The Demolished Man. Inamura has gotten a copy of The Demolished Man and uses it to give Joanna an answering sentence to overcome the posthypnotic suggestion that has blocked her answers to Inamura's questions.

1. Discuss symbolism in literature and why the book used for Joanna's post hypnotic sentence was an example of symbolism.

2. The Demolished Man is a novel, a full length book. Discuss narrative contrivance in view of Inamura being able to find the exact sentence to bring Joanna out of the suggestion in an entire book.

3. Compare and contrast the characters of Inamura and how he uses hypnosis and Herr Doktor and his techniques. Use examples from the text to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Joanna tries to commit suicide, underscoring for the reader how difficult the nightmares and panic attacks have been for her.

1. Why does Joanna attempt suicide?

2. Do you think Joanna has other options rather than suicide?

3. Do you think suicide is a reasonable option for any situation?

4. Would you believe Joanna when she says she will not attempt suicide again? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,055 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample