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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 did the villagers of Stillenstadt call Benjamin when he arrived?

2. What does Mordecai do in response to Ernie's act of heroism in protecting Frau Tuszynski?

3. What does Ilse Bruckner promise Hans Schliemann when they leave Ernie?

4. What does Herr Geek believe is his job at Ernie's school?

5. How does Chaim Levy attract the children of the village where he lives?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the child Ernie come to feel that he is in charge of those around him?

2. What drama takes place between Judith and Fraulein Blumenthal as children are born?

3. What does Benjamin imagine will happen to the Jews as they become acquainted with Germans?

4. How is Benjamin received by the Jews in Stillenstadt?

5. What causes Ernie to feel hatred for the first time?

6. What qualities of character does Brother Beast possess?

7. Why did others regard Mordecai as a fallen Levy?

8. What does Ernie's act of stepping forward to protest the treatment of Frau Tuszynski cause Mordecai to do?

9. What does Herr Kremer mean when he says the child is descended from the man?

10. What does Ernie have in common with the German boy he meets when he runs away from home?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A great deal of this story revolves around Ernie's development as a child. In your essay, tell which of Ernie's recorded childhood events changed the man he was to become, and why you think so.

Essay Topic 2

Evaluate this story in terms of tone and mood. Is it unrelentingly dark? Are there funny scenes? Are there lovable characters? Are all of the non-Jews evil? How does the author keep his reading audience from being overwhelmed by despair at this story? Use concrete examples and quotations from the story to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 3

All stories are either plot-driven, relying upon the action of the story to maintain interest, or character-driven, where the most important story element is the changes that take place in the lives of the characters. In your essay, tell whether you think The Last of the Just is plot-driven or character-driven. Substantiate your position with examples and illustrations from the text.

(see the answer keys)

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