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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. Why did Babi distrust the Hungarians?

2. What was Piri's father's position?

3. What did Piri tell Farenc during the visit in Chapter 5?

4. Where did Father expect his battalion to go?

5. Where was Mrs. Gerber's daughter?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Piri's mother react to this encounter with the group of boys?

2. How did Beregszasz change for Piri's family?

3. What happened when Piri's mother inquired into sending the girls to America?

4. What was strange to Piri about Babi's distrust?

5. Why did Babi distrust Farenc?

6. Describe Piri's family's friendship with Mrs. Gerber.

7. Why did Piri's mother express concern over Rozsi?

8. How did current events affect the Passover holiday?

9. Why did Farenc agree to help Piri and her family?

10. What did Father expect to happen after his battalion passed through Beregszasz?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

That are the most important, or prevalent symbols or metaphors in 'Upon the Head of a Goat'? The notion of the sacrificial animal is introduced at the beginning, but what other imagery or motifs does Siegal employ in 'Upon the Head of a Goat'? How does she add to the meaning of the book with symbolic associations?

Essay Topic 2

Piri's mother is the hero of the book, as she gives without thinking of herself, and her only selfishness is the early decision to keep the family together. How does Piri reflect the influence of her mother, her grandmother, and Babi? Who else exerted a strong influence on Piri so that her writing and her description of herself reflect it?

Essay Topic 3

For writers like Kafka, the absurdity and insanity of the concentration camp became a metaphor for the modern world as a whole. He barely survived in it. How does Siegal portray the insanity of the times? What philosophy does she develop that lets her keep going? How does Siegal define the different and the different temperaments that took the events in stride or broke beneath them?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 675 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample