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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. When Robinson appears at the hotel, what does Karl see sticking out of Robinson's pocket?

2. What compliment does Karl offer Therese about her job?

3. What does the word "Occidental" mean?

4. Why is Karl so useful to Therese when she is running errands in the city?

5. Besides the possible pay and the difficulty of getting other work, what reason does Robinson give for why Karl should accept the job?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Karl is looking through his trunk, what does he realize about the cap he is wearing?

2. What shared background do Karl and the head cook discover they have?

3. What is ironic about Karl getting in trouble for being away from his lift?

4. What annoys Karl about finding the salami in his trunk in Chapter IV, "The March to Ramses," and what is the salami's eventual fate?

5. How does Karl meet Robinson and Delamarche?

6. What convinces Karl to stay at Brunelda's apartment even after Delamarche assaults him?

7. Describe Brunelda's personality.

8. What does Karl learn from Robinson about Brunelda's marriage?

9. What does Karl's first sight of Giacomo imply about working conditions in America?

10. Describe Delamarche and Brunelda's relationship with their neighbors.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How do ambiguity and the grotesque work together to create atmosphere and mood in Amerika, and how do these effects contribute to the novel's overall meaning? What patterns of detail and language work together to create a sense of ambiguity? What patterns of detail and language work together to create a sense of the grotesque? In combination, what specific atmosphere and mood do ambiguity and the grotesque create in this novel? How do atmosphere and mood support a theme or themes in Amerika? Be sure to support your claims with both quoted and paraphrased evidence from the text.

Essay Topic 2

Write a paragraph that explains the relationship between Karl's journey through America and the descriptions of the major locations that he visits. Consider the locations' sizes, their labyrinthine nature, and the frequent references to stairs, elevators, and balconies. Consider the atmospheres of these locations and how they change over the course of the narrative. Make sure that you do more than describe the various settings and their details: the goal of your essay should be to tie these textual details to the progress of Karl's journey and the overall meaning of the novel.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay that analyzes Amerika through the lens of Le Grand Guignol. Explain the hallmarks of this theatrical tradition and where they are seen, at minimum, in Kafka's settings, moods, and plot. Finally, explain what significance these similarities have to the book's overall meaning. Support your claims with evidence from the text.

(see the answer keys)

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