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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 happens at the rally Kira attends?

2. Where does Leo say he is going the night Kira finds out she won't be questioned any further?

3. Who tells Marisha about the available room in Kira and Leo's apartment?

4. What year is it in the beginning of this book?

5. What does Sonia tell Kira how to do?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens between Kira and the British woman?

2. How does Kira's family respond to her goal of becoming an engineer?

3. How does Kira feel toward Victor and his advances?

4. In what ways does Kira fail to follow the dictates of society?

5. What is Kira's work environment like at the House of the Peasant?

6. What does Kira realize, after becoming more comfortable with her living conditions, about Communism?

7. Why does Kira's sister say that Kira always gets her way?

8. Why does Andrei order soup for Kira?

9. What is dishonest about the method that Galina and Kira's family use for packing saccharine tablets and crystals for resale?

10. What is the purpose of the House of the Peasant?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

At the conclusion of "We the Living", Kira tries to escape. Who else tries to escape in this novel? Describe their attempts and outcomes. Why does each character try to escape? What does their escape and outcome represent?

Essay Topic 2

The characters in "We the Living" hold a variety of jobs. Choose four characters, and compare and contrast their jobs. Reflect on the value society has for these jobs, the actual work involved, the possibility for advancement, and how the job would be different if Russia were not Communist.

Essay Topic 3

Many objects are symbolic of the major themes in "We the Living". Choose at least three symbolic objects and describe what they represent, and how they are representative in the novel. Consider the impact on the characters as well as the reader.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 621 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample