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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 is Mirek being followed?

2. What was happening in 1948 in Kundera's life?

3. How do Marketa and Eva get along at first?

4. Who does Karel picture in his mind when he, Marketa and Eva are together later?

5. What happens when Mirek leaves Zdena's place?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Mirek want his old love letters back from Zdena and do you think his goal is possible?

2. What are Michelle and Gabrielle doing and what is their response?

3. What is the meaning of laughter in part 3?

4. What happens when Karel receives a phone call and how is the outcome ironic?

5. What is the larger meaning of the letters which Mirek is supposedly seeking to have back?

6. Why do you think Kundera agrees to write an astrology column?

7. What happens when Mirek arrives back home and how is this somewhat ironic?

8. How is the fur hat symbolic?

9. What does Mirek think of Zdena when they first meet and then become lovers?

10. What is remembered about Clementis?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In Part 1, the narrator says that Mirek has always been ashamed of Zdena for the simple fact that she is ugly. Much of this book deals with sexual relationships. Discuss one of the following:

1. Do you think Mirek's attitude about a woman's attractiveness is fairly universal? Why or why not? Discuss his attitude and then expand on that.

2. What do you think is the basis of the relationship between Marketa and Karel? Do you think they have a fairly "typical" relationship?

3. Do men base relationships on different criteria than women? Use examples from the book and your personal knowledge.

Essay Topic 2

The final chapter, "Borders," seems to suggest the idea of borders through repetition. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think this chapter is titled "Borders"?

2. Does the concept of borders appear in each chapter? Explain with examples.

3. Do you think there is a reason Kundera titles the last chapter "Borders" as opposed to any other chapter in the book? Explain fully.

4. How is the concept of borders related to that of repetition? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

In Part 4, the main character (as deemed by Kundera later in the novel) is introduced. She is one of the two or three fictionalized characters that Kundera assumes are born every second on earth. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think Kundera means by the statement above?

2. Do you think Kundera is advocating for or against writers and the characters they create? Explain fully.

3. If Tamina is a fictionalized character, do you think she is a symbol of some concept in Kundera's experiences? What do you think she represents? Explain fully.

4. Kundera thinks of Tamina as the main character. Why do you think he sees her as the main character? Of what--the book? A couple parts of the book?

(see the answer keys)

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