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. Into what country is James arriving at the beginning of Book 2?

2. In Chapter 5, where is Anand planning to go soon?

3. In Chapter 1, what word does Kathryn bet James that Tap knows?

4. In Chapter 5, what does Volterra talk to Owen about?

5. What invitation does James extend to Volterra at the end of Chapter 6?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Volterra in Jordan in Chapter 6?

2. How has Kathryn Axton changes since separating from James?

3. Describe Tap Axton.

4. What plan does Volterra have for his life after film?

5. What do Owen and James talk about at the end of Chapter 2?

6. What strange coincidence does James notice at the end of Chapter 6?

7. Why is James ridiculed by his friends in the beginning of Chapter 1?

8. What story does Owen tell about a cave in Chapter 2?

9. Describe Owen Brademas.

10. Describe Kathryn and James' argument in Chapter 5?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay about the Northeast Group, what it ostensibly does as a company, how it is represented in the novel, and what it, in reality, is a functionary of. What is James Axton's role within the Northeast Group? What other character is his contact, and how does this character represent a strange intensity unusual for a private company? What does the Group do in the novel, and how are its true functions slyly revealed tot he reader and James Axton alike? What is the fallout?

Essay Topic 2

A central theme of Don DeLillo's The Names is the mystical and broad meaning of language. In this novel, language and words not only contain meaning but also a sort of divine truth. Write an essay in three parts about the way DeLillo deals with truth in the novel:

Part 1) Owen Brademas is the major character with the most passionate connection to language in the novel. Discuss what influences in his life, beginning with his childhood, have contributed to this connection. What does he want to do with his life, and how do words become part of this? What is the purpose of ancient words, in his viewpoint?

Part 2) Midway through the novel, the mysterious Vosdanik explains the significance of words to the mysterious cult. Describe the role of language to the lonely men of the desert. Why are they obsessed with them? Historically, what has been the significance of words to spiritual acolytes?

Part 3) What is the methodology of the language cult? Why do they commit their murders? What divine extreme are they reaching for? Citing the words of Vosdanik, Andahl, and Singh, discuss the meaning of the cult in the world of the novel. Are they the touchstone of love of language in The Names?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay about the ensemble that is James Axton's expatriate social scene. What collective philosophy do these people share, and for whence does this philosophy derive? In this essay, discuss the dynamic that exists within the group. Who are the most dominant figures in the group dynamic, and who feels like an outsider? Which couples are strong and which are clearly foundering? How is this made apparent?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,190 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample