View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the name of the science fiction writer's most famous character?

2. For whom is the stadium in Parque Mexico named?

3. Which country is the last one on Arthur Less's itinerary?

4. With what group of artists and writers was Arthur Less once associated?

5. For what occasion has Arthur Less been asked to interview the science fiction writer?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the narrator's hypothesis about why Arthur spends nine years with Freddy?

2. What is ironic about Marian's last words to Arthur before he dives into the ocean during their first meeting?

3. What is Arthur's reaction to Carlos's suggestion that he needs to "get an edge" (6) in order to decrease his level of vulnerability?

4. What epiphany does Arthur have about heterosexual men during his search for his lost ring in the produce section?

5. What is the significance of Arthur's habit of not wearing a watch?

6. What is the actual sound being made when Arthur believes the sound of thunder to be interrupting his reveries during the Italian award ceremony?

7. What is Arthur's literary agent's reaction to Arthur's latest novel?

8. What other two prize ceremonies are called to Arthur's mind at the awards ceremony in Italy?

9. For what purpose has Arthur come to New York City and what is its end result?

10. What are the reasons for Arthur's exhaustion the first morning he wakes up in Mexico?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Trace the characterization arc of Arthur’s character throughout the novel. Discuss whether he is a round or flat character and whether he is a static or dynamic character.

Essay Topic 2

Analyze the author's message regarding recognition within the literary world.

Essay Topic 3

Sensory details are used frequently by the author in order to create vivid pictures of the places Arthur visits along his journey. Choose three scenes in which sensory details are heavily used and discuss how the sensory details used by the author set a particular mood for each of the three scenes.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 993 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample