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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. Nicholas is told to give a message to the Tsar. What happens after that?

2. How does Count Rostov react when he hears about Nicholas' card game?

3. Nicholas goes home on leave. How does he react to Sonya?

4. Natasha goes into the conservatory to hide when her family is first introduced. What is she waiting for?

5. Who are Princess Mary's "God's Folk"?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Pierre so unconcerned for his future?

2. What leads Pierre to challenge Dolokhov to a duel?

3. What does Andrew think about after he is wounded?

4. What does Pierre's steward think when Pierre goes to his estates and recommends reforms?

5. What are the obvious differences between Prince Andrew and Pierre that is illustrated at the start of the story?

6. What happens between Bazdeev and Pierre at the post station?

7. How does Pierre follow up with his attempts at self-purification and how does he view his fellow Masons?

8. Why does the old Prince insist that Andrew delay his marriage for a year?

9. Dolokhov wants to beat Rostov at cards and sets a monetary number for himself. What is this number and how and why does he arrive at it?

10. How does the old prince react to Lise's death and why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Andrew's first visit with the Rostovs. What is the thing that symbolizes him and what happens to him during the visit and how does it relate to him? Describe the alteration from the beginning of the trip to the end and how the analogy with the object illustrates this.

Essay Topic 2

Count Rostov and Countess Rostova are very different from Prince Bolkonski. Compare and contrast fully. What is of merit and the opposite in qualities of the three? Be sure to make references from throughout the book.

Essay Topic 3

Conflict is one of the literary devices that is evident throughout the book. Its very name deals with conflict. However, the conflict is not just between the Russians and the French. There is serious conflict in the "peace" parts. Choose a conflict that occurs in the "drawing room" scenes - be they between people, or within an individual. Describe how the conflict is first manifested and then discuss how it evolves in the story from beginning to end. Analyze how the characters handle this conflict and how it shapes the outcome of the book. Discuss how Tolstoy uses conflict to tell the story.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,222 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample