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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 is the best description of the explosions referenced in the Charnetskis' apartment?

2. Where is the music being played in the church?

3. What is the best description of the castles in the Epilogue?

4. What does the king learn about Ivan the Great?

5. What does the inside of the Church of Our Lady Mary look like?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 10, Peter of the Button Face is scared as he watches red balls of fire fall. Despite his fear, what does he do?

2. What is the threat Peter of the Button Face gives to Joseph before Michael the Snake takes Joseph from the tower in Chapter 11?

3. What does Peter of the Button Face say to the king regarding why he is in Krakow in Chapter 15?

4. As Peter tries to escape in Chapter 10, what does Kreutz do?

5. Describe the Vistula River as it is explained in the Epilogue.

6. Describe how the people of Krakow put out fires in general and in Chapter 14.

7. Explain what happens to the Charnetski family at the end of Chapter 16.

8. What is Kreutz's explanation to Tring for how he obtained the crystal?

9. Explain what happens after Kreutz grabs the crystal from the king's hands.

10. When Elzbietka hears the Heynal played in its entirety as described in Chapter 12, where is she and what does she do?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast Nicholas Kreutz and Johann Tring. Is Johann Tring truly evil, or does he just misunderstand the power of superstition? Why do you think the author portrays Kreutz as powerless against the trances of Tring? Do you think the author should have handled this conflict differently?

Essay Topic 2

Did you like the author's use of science as he describes how Kreutz frightens Peter of the Button Face with the explosions? Why or why not? Was this combination of attacking with science believable? Was it consistent with the belief in magic at the time? Or do you think this scene was used by the author to prove that science triumphs over superstition and sorcery? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Describe the conflict between superstition and science in the novel. Do you think this was an important issue to the author? What is he trying to portray by returning to this conflict? Does the conflict seem relevant to the main theme of the novel?

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