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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 is Rouen different from the first time Geoffrey visited the city?

2. In the newspaper article Flaubert saved, what was the parrot trained to say?

3. Who should the author of a book be like, according to a quote Geoffrey has read?

4. For what reason was Flaubert confined to the family home as a young man?

5. Geoffrey compares biographies to what objects?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Geoffrey find on the subject of Madame Bovary's eyes when he rereads the book?

2. How successful was Flaubert during his student days?

3. Whose deaths greatly affected Flaubert's life?

4. What does Geoffrey mean by this statement which he writes after the stories about the Scottish terrier, "What happened to the truth is not recorded"?

5. Explain why Flaubert refers to himself as a bear, and particularly as a white one.

6. Why does Geoffrey think Flaubert might also be compared to a camel?

7. What factual information does Geoffrey tell the reader about himself?

8. What does Geoffrey say about coincidences?

9. How did Ed happen to get the letters between Julie and Flaubert?

10. What does Geoffrey say is the difference between internal mistakes in writing literature and external ones?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Geoffrey narrates this book from the first-person perspective. Discuss what advantages and disadvantages you see in the author using this voice. Also comment on the author's choice to let Louise Colet narrate one chapter in her own voice.

Essay Topic 2

Julian Barnes uses a variety of styles and innovations in "Flaubert's Parrots." Discuss several of these, including but not limited to, the dictionary and the examination paper. Explain the effectiveness of each and comment on their limitations.

Essay Topic 3

The character of Felicite in "Un coeur simple" can be compared to Flaubert.

1) Briefly explain the plot of the story.

2) Explain what similarities that can be drawn between Felicite and Flaubert.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 622 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample