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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 does Antoine say dirtied the people on the train?

2. What warned Antoine about the first wind storm he experienced in the desert?

3. What does Antoine curse at the end of the book?

4. To what does Antoine compare seasons?

5. What does Antoine say the human soul remembers?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Antoine and Prevot react when they met a caravan after their crash landing?

2. To what does Antoine compare himself at the end of the book?

3. How does Antoine describe the child he sees on the train?

4. What caused Antoine to crash land in the desert?

5. What made Antoine know his survival in the desert was worth the effort?

6. What did Antoine see on the meteorology report before heading out to Saigon?

7. How does Antoine describe the house the two girls from Paraguay lived in?

8. What does Antoine say the people on the train have sacrificed to bureaucracy?

9. What happened to slaves in the desert who were unable to serve?

10. Why does Antoine say the killing in war is ironic?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Symbolism is a very prevalent literary device used by Antoine in this story. What are some of these symbols, and how does their presence affect the course of the plot?

Essay Topic 2

There are a number of different settings in this book. Describe some of these settings. Why might Antoine have chosen to talk about these particular settings from his life experiences?

Essay Topic 3

Fear is a major motivating factor for a number of people in this book. Which of these people were most affected by this, and what are some of the different ways this fear was manifested?

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This section contains 705 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample