View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. Who does Peter blame for Mary and Captain Lebyatkin's murder?

2. Who chases after Lisa when she leaves Stavrogin's house?

3. Who does Peter leave Virginsky's house to meet?

4. Whom does Stavrogin defend from Peter?

5. Shatov is happy to see his wife in spite of what?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Is The Possessed a Christian novel? What kind of Christianity does it align with? Old Testament or New Testament? In what ways does the novel seem atheistic, or existential?

Essay Topic 2

How is authority portrayed in The Possessed? What kinds of authority are there, and what are the limits of their power? Are any new roles with new authorities brought into being through the action of the novel?

Essay Topic 3

What is the moral of The Possessed? Is conversion to Christianity a real solution to the problems the book presents? Is there a difference between the social problems the book presents us with and the problems of individual morality that the characters face?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 193 words (approx. 1 page at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample