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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. Who is the "King of Rome"?

2. What does Mary notice when she and Natasha meet with Pierre?

3. What does Pierre find about himself while walking and when being still?

4. What happens to Mary right after her father dies?

5. How long did the French and Russians not engage in battle after Borodino?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Nicholas feel he cannot marry Mary?

2. What happens to Pierre after he is taken prisoner by the French after meeting with Davout?

3. How does Pierre and Andrew's meeting before the battle of Borodino go?

4. How does the old prince behave toward Mary after his last stroke?

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

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

7. Why does Natasha get so upset during her visit with the Bolkonskis?

8. In what state is Andrew when Natasha finds him traveling with her family out of Moscow, and what is his reaction to seeing her?

9. When the French are marching with the prisoners, what does Pierre notice of himself when marching and when resting?

10. What does Tolstoy say changes in the nature of war when the French move from Smolensk to Moscow?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sonya and Mary: Nicholas is drawn to them both. Why? Explore the differences between the two, how they change through the book and how Nicholas' viewpoint changes and why.

Essay Topic 2

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.

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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