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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. When Hamilton de Souza puts together the pieces of a torn picture, who does the narrator think he recognizes in the photo?

2. What does the narrator think men would give Odilo Unverdorben when he stays at their farms?

3. How does the narrator think that John Young begins his affairs?

4. What is Tod Friendly's car perched against when the narrator sees the policeman put Tod in his car?

5. How does the narrator believe people are treated at crisis centers?

Short Essay Questions

1. Is there any place where the narrator's understanding is more accurate than Tod Friendly's?

2. Why does Tod Friendly enjoy being part of a crowd?

3. Describe the underground system for taking care of Nazis.

4. What condition is Europe in when Odilo Unverdorben leaves?

5. Describe John Young/Hamilton de Souza/Odilo Unverdorben's feelings about fleeing to America after the war.

6. What is Tod's relationship with the narrator?

7. Describe some cases in which characters are wistful about the past.

8. What is the narrator's relationship with Irene?

9. How does the narrator feel about the change from America to Europe?

10. What are some of the terms the narrator coins in order to make things make sense?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the narrator's attempt to make sense of Odilo Unverdorben's life parallel our attempts to make sense of the Holocaust? Do we live the Holocaust backwards the way he does? Does his emotional experience of the Holocaust coincide with ours? Are we just as emotionally detached? Give examples from the book as well as from your studies of the Holocaust

Essay Topic 2

The first chapter is titled, 'What comes around goes around." What does this title mean?

1. Is Odilo brought to justice? Is he cleansed of his sins, or redeemed for his experiences? Does he suffer what he inflicted on others?

2. Is this title ironic, or is it intended literally. Cite specific examples from the text in your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Experiencing everything backward, the narrator mistakes helping people for hurting people and vice versa. Citing specific examples from the text, explore the meaning of this backwardness.

1. Does the narrator experience normal human reactions to what he sees, or are his emotions backward too? Can we trust him to have feelings based on what he sees?

2. Does the narrator's backwardness portray pain and assistance in a new or surprising light? What do we learn from the narrator about how people hurt or help each other?

3. Does the narrator's backwardness make us more or less sensitive to people's sufferings?

(see the answer keys)

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