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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 does Marlowe talk about to Sutra?

2. What false information does the King relay?

3. How much do delivery, nurse and equipment cost to take care of Marlowe?

4. Why does Larkin make a batch of blachang?

5. Who gets a letter from his wife?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who gets a letter from home and how does it seem many POWs feel about letters?

2. How does Marlowe manage to obtain a radio and what is the King's reaction?

3. Why will the airfield detail have an agreeable aspect to it?

4. Why are King and Marlowe in the King's tent at the opening of Chapter 19 and what happens?

5. Describe the scene where Marlowe acts as a go-between.

6. Describe the "birthday party" of the elite who are invited to a barbecue.

7. How do Marlowe and the King go outside to wire, and where do they go?

8. Why isn't Marlowe successful in going after the money and how is he care for with the medicines Timsen gets?

9. Describe the transaction between the King and Shagata.

10. Who does the King invite to start up a rat breeding operation and what is the plan?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the following:

1. What do you think are the characteristics of a successful novel?

2. Analyze and discuss KING RAT based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if KING RAT is a successful novel.

3. Do you think the fact that KING RAT is based upon a real-life experience of the author changes the criteria upon which its success should be judged? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Lt. Grey feels in a moral quandary about using paper from a Bible to roll cigarettes. Discuss the following:

1. Discuss several moral quandaries in which various characters find themselves. What usually wins out: morality or survival?

2. Are all the moral choices about survival? Are there other moral choices the characters have to make that has nothing to do with their survival--or are all choices in a place such as Changi linked to survival?

3. Discuss five characters and the limits they put upon themselves as far as their choices between right and wrong. In other words, do the characters have a point at which they will not go beyond even to ensure their survival?

Essay Topic 3

"Politics" and manipulation influence much of what happens in KING RAT. Discuss one of the following:

1. Describe the political situation in KING RAT and how it impacts the actions of three of the major characters.

2. Discuss and analyze several people who try to manipulate others and their responses to the manipulators.

3. Do you think the Politics of a group of civilians in a similar situation would be different from that of the military, which has a system of rank that in some ways limits politics? Or does a military structure limit politics?

(see the answer keys)

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