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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 does Kalman think Reuven wavers between?

2. What do Danny and Michael discuss at the opening to Chapter 12?

3. Where does Reuven go after Kalman's class?

4. What does Michael say to a nurse?

5. Who asks Danny to visit?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Reuven and Professor Gordon discuss when Reuven visits him?

2. What happens when Reuven goes in to Michael's room to see him after the fire?

3. What do Danny, Rachel, Reuven and Eileen go to see and what is their response?

4. What does Danny's father want to learn and what is his reaction when Reuven tells him?

5. What does Danny give Michael and what does Michael say about it to Reuven?

6. What does Reuven think about the reason for orthodox Jews to become so stubborn?

7. Describe the altercation between Kalman and Greenfield.

8. What does Kalman say to Reuven about his smicha exam?

9. Describe Abe Greenfield and his problem at opening of Chapter 8.

10. What does Reb Saunders tell Reuven and what does Reuven do?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Michael hates orthodox Jews because he thinks they try to keep people from speaking the truth as the person sees it. Discuss one of the following:

1. Discuss and analyze the theme of truth in The Promise. Is there one truth? Many truths? Does any character have "the truth"?

2. Many wars have been fought over the concept of "the truth." Discuss one war that was waged over a difference in the perception of truth and what the core issue(s) was. Relate your research back to The Promise.

3. Thoroughly discucss one thing you think is absolutely true and then relate your beliefs in that truth to one character's beliefs about the truth in The Promise.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of change. Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with change? Why? What are some symbols of change? Symbols of rigidity? What characters seem rigid?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of mental/emotional illness. Which characters struggle with some sort of emotional illness? Why? Which characters seem really healthy emotionally/mentally? Why? How is Michael Gordon's emotional problems a metaphor for the changes taking place in the realm of Jewish theology?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of tradition. What is Reuven's view of tradition? Kalman's? Michael Gordon's? Professor Gordon's? Why is tradition important to some characters? Is anyone willing to abandon traditional viewpoints? Who? What are the positive and negative sides to tradition?

Essay Topic 3

Reuven asks his father about Kotzker, who it turns out is an eccentric rabbi who has shut himself up in a room for twenty years and has disagreements with many Hasidic sects.

Discuss the following:

1. Research the historical Kotzker Rebbe and write an informative essay on him and how the historical facts match up with what is said in The Promise.

2. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a scholar isolating himself for twenty years.

3. Can you ever think of a reason you would isolate yourself for twenty years?

4. Relate the anecdote about Kotzker Rebbe to the theme of silence in the Promise. What other situations are related to the theme of silence? Who tries to silence other? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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