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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 did the priest who tried to convert rats to Catholicism in New York City believe?

2. Who is a patient of Dr. Schoenmaker that Rachel pays the bill for?

3. What does Rachel Owlglass do for a living in New York City?

4. Who is the world adventurer looking for?

5. What does the dentist show Stencil?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Lepsius.

2. What does Hugo Bongo-Shaftsbury talk to Mildred about on the train in Egypt?

3. What is Herbert Stencil's purpose?

4. What appears to be a problem in Rachel and Benny's relationship?

5. Describe Victoria in Chapter 7.

6. Why does Rachel go to see Dr. Schoenmaker's profession and why does it upset her?

7. What happens when Benny goes to the ferry and meets Paola?

8. What does the reader learn about V. in Chapter 3?

9. What is the disturbing discovery that Profane makes about Fina?

10. What happens to the Birth of Venus painting in Chapter 7?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the role of women in Virginia in the1950s when the women in the stories are living their lives. What precedents do they feel compelled to follow? What restrictions do they have? What freedoms did they have that 21st century women may not have?

Essay Topic 2

The author uses more than one iteration on the theme of loss. Identify at least two themes about loss in the stories. Then cite an example to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

V. is an enigmatic and famous character in this book. Explain the history of V. as you know it. When did the character first appear in the book? What culture seemingly created V.? How has the character changed throughout history? Why do you think Pynchon chose V. as a main character?

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This section contains 762 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample