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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 Sholem agitated and troubled?

2. When Sholem tells Madje he is headed backstage to find the producer, what does he tell her to do?

3. How does Staten Island: Sholem and Madje’s Home begin?

4. In the love scene between Manke and Rifkele, what does Dorothee do, regarding the newly-cast Virginia?

5. What does Asch admit to the cast at their first meeting?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do both Madje and Sholem feel about his trip abroad to learn more about the pogroms?

2. Who bails the cast out of jail?

3. Why does Schildkraut fire Reina?

4. What is Rabbi Silverman's response regarding plays like The God of Vengeance?

5. What is the doctor's recommendation to Sholem?

6. What is Rabbi Silverman's response to the cast being arrested?

7. What is the response to Virginia's acting?

8. In Sholem Asch Shows Lemml America, what does the troupe do, as an ensemble?

9. What is the court's verdict?

10. What does Virginia say that shocks Dorothee?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

After being bailed from jail, Esther reflects on the perfect English of the prostitutes she encountered. What does she say? What does her response reveal about her? How is her comment about the prostitutes reflective of other characters throughout this play?

Essay Topic 2

The play begins with the troupe rising from the ground, pouring sawdust from their clothes. What is this meant to represent? What tone does this set for the play ahead? What does this foreshadow? Is this an effective way to prepare the audience for future events? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Multiple times throughout the play characters look down upon traditional religious Jews. What might be the reason for this? How do the characters who are Jewish respond to this type of attitude? Would you consider the secular Jews in this play to be anti-Semitic as was feared by Mr. Peretz? Why or why not? Do the Jewish characters in this play seem to be happy to rid themselves of their tradition? Why or why not?

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This section contains 922 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample