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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. How much money does Carl owe Morris?

2. How many days does Morris spend in the hospital?

3. What does Morris catch Frank doing?

4. What type of disease does Schmitz have?

5. What part of Frank is crooked?

Short Essay Questions

1. What goes through Morris' mind as he lies in bed?

2. How does Frank feel about his actions? What did he do to Helen?

3. Describe the nightmare Morris has. What do you think it means?

4. What happens to Karp's liquor store? How does Morris feel about it?

5. How does Morris view his luck in this chapter?

6. How does Frank plan on convincing Morris to let him stay?

7. What did Charlie Sobeloff do to Morris?

8. What plans does Helen have if she and Frank get married?

9. How does business at the store change? What does Frank do to try and help it?

10. How does Helen feel about Frank not being Jewish?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay describing your vision of the ideal lifestyle. Be sure to address:

1) What you feel are the most important aspects of a good lifestyle, and what to avoid.

2) How one can attain the ideal lifestyle, and how realistic this lifestyle is.

3) How THE ASSISTANT by Bernard Malamud has influenced your view of the ideal lifestyle.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay on crime and criminals in THE ASSISTANT. Be sure to address:

1) Criminal acts that are carried out or planned in the novel.

2) How you feel the author intends readers to view the criminal behavior of characters in the novel.

3) How prevalent the crimes described in the novel are in the real world, and the punishments that these crimes carry.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay on the use of dreams and dream sequences in THE ASSISTANT. Be sure to address:

1) The role of dreams in the novel.

2) Examples of how dreams have influenced characters and foreshadowed events.

3) What you feel the role of dreams are in our everyday lives.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 925 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample