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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. Why is Hana's love for Kip destined to fail?

2. How is the English patient's love affair described?

3. What does Hana think of when she plays the instrument in the library?

4. Why does Hana like the villa?

5. Why does Katharine panic when she is in the desert?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Katharine's first reaction when she falls in love with the English patient?

2. In addition to the plane, what else comes along with the plane? Why is this important?

3. What is Hana's reaction to Caravaggio's arrival at the villa?

4. How is the topic of companionship explored in Chapter 4?

5. What purpose does the piano serve in the villa?

6. Describe the relationship between Caravaggio and Hana.

7. What sort of presence does Kip have on the other characters in the villa?

8. Describe the English patient's reaction to Katharine's decision to end the affair.

9. How does Chapter 5 foreshadow later events in the novel?

10. Describe Hana's daily life in the villa.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What do you think is the main theme of Onjaatje's novel? Identify at least three events in "The English Patient" that communicate this theme.

Essay Topic 2

What is the purpose of a foil in literature? Describe one character in Ondaatje's novel that you believe is a foil of another character. Why do you think Ondaatje may have created characters in his work that emphasize each other's qualities?

Essay Topic 3

Identify at least three instances of foreshadowing in Ondaatje's novel. Why would Ondaatje include these instances? How would the story change if they had not been included?

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