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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 color is the morning light?

2. With what is the pool infested?

3. What is the name of Willatal's sister?

4. In what city does Henderson have a violin lesson?

5. What does Henderson want to kill?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what way is Willatale sympathetic to Henderson's plight?

2. Of what does the pink light remind Henderson?

3. How has Lily' s life changed in Chapter Three?

4. Describe the meeting between Willatale and Henderson.

5. What do Lily and Henderson do in Paris?

6. How does Dick die?

7. How does the wood chip change Henderson's life?

8. In what way do Lily and Henderson's opinions differ on the portrait?

9. Why does Henderson feel depressed after the wrestling match?

10. How is Henderson going to build a bomb?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Bellow's life. In what way do you think his life and personality are reflected in the book?

Essay Topic 2

The novel is set mostly in Africa.

1) What meaning does Africa bring to the novel? What would you automatically presume about a novel that is set in Africa?

2) How different do you think today's Africa is to the Africa in the novel? How do you think the novel's meaning would change if it were set in today's Africa?

3) How do you think the African settings of the novel contributes to the novel's spiritual meaning?

Essay Topic 3

Examine the novel's chronological setting.

1) What are the main concerns during the 1950's? How does Bellow express these concerns?

2) In what ways do you think the novel's meaning would change if it were set in today's society?

(see the answer keys)

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