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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. At the airport, who is leaving for Puerto Rico in Chapter 12?

2. What kind of relationship does the mysterious woman and the ballerina develop soon after their meeting in Chapter 14?

3. Where is the Whole Sick Crew at a party in Chapter 12?

4. In his letter, what does Fausto Maijstral say about himself?

5. Where is Fausto Maijstral in Chapter 11?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does V. appear in Chapter 9 and what does this say about her or her role?

2. What happens to V. in Paris?

3. What is V.'s point of view regarding the siege in Africa in 1922?

4. When Fausto changes his personality, what is the role that he assumes?

5. Why are the members of the Whole Sick Crew not bothered by police arrests?

6. Why is Fina leaving New York?

7. What does Fausto Mijstral reveal in his letter to his daughter Paola?

8. How does Benny show signs of regression in Chapter 13?

9. When Benny is propositioned by Mafia, what does he do and what does it reveal about him?

10. Why is Stencil afraid to go to Malta?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the concept of loneliness as it exhibits in the story. Which of the characters are lonely? Are they all lonely in some way? Explain the loneliness and the methods and attempts to overcome it.

Essay Topic 2

Describe Stencil; What is his role in the story? What is the author trying to accomplish by creating Stencil as a major character of the book?

Essay Topic 3

Politics are also referred to in the book. Pynchon refers to the politics in the German colonization of Africa in 1922. In V., the author devotes an entire chapter to this. Do you think this political story is a vital part of the book? Why or why not? Explain. How else could Pynchon incorporate politics into the book? Also examine the use of politics in relationships.

(see the answer keys)

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