View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Balashev is sent to meet Napoleon with a letter from Alexander. Who does he meet before seeing Napoleon and how do the meetings go?

2. What does Pierre do when he goes out into the streets of Moscow to find Napoleon?

3. What is wrong with the prisoner, Sokolov, who is terrified when the French start to march them all out of Moscow?

4. In Tolstoy's mathematical problem, what kind of animal is Achilles trying to catch up with?

5. Seven years after the war with France, how is Alexander regarded?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do the French end up abandoning a city that was their emperor's goal in invading Russia?

2. What does Napoleon say to Rapp about colds and medicine before the battle of Borodino?

3. How does Princess Mary react to Nicholas when he enters Andrew's home at Bogucharovo and how does he react to her?

4. How does Pierre comfort Natasha after she tries to kill herself and how does she regard his words?

5. Berg goes to the Rostov's as they are packing up to leave Moscow. Why does he go there?

6. Why is Davout so rude to Balashev when he goes to meet with Napoleon?

7. How does Helene resolve her dilemma over which of her two suitors she should marry?

8. Why does Andrew request a post in Turkey?

9. Where does Pierre go after Borodino and how has he reacted to the battle?

10. How does Sonya react to Natasha when she finds Anatole's letter to her?

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

Discuss Tolstoy's use of minor characters as foils. How is their presence important? List some. What do they illuminate in the more important characters? How do we know they are foils? Are they catalysts in the change or do they merely act to illustrate the change? To write this essay, choose one of the three main characters and those involved mostly with that character and discuss this.

Essay Topic 3

Are Tolstoy's characters "black" and "white"? Choose two of the "worst" and two of the "best" and use them to argue whether he looks at them in such a way. For example, how does he describe Helene, Anatole, Dolokhov, Mary, Sonya, or Pierre? Despite their actions, does he see them as acting with malice aforethought, or are their actions motivated by good intentions? You may choose other characters in addition to or instead of the above.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,312 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample