View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. When does Jaromil feel that the girl belongs to him completely?
(a) When she swears to love him forever.
(b) When she lets him undress her.
(c) When he writes a poem about her.
(d) When his hands are around her neck.

2. According to Jaromil, how do socialism and love interact?
(a) Socialism comes from the root of love.
(b) Socialism stifles love.
(c) Socialism allows for true love to exist.
(d) They are complete opposites.

3. What happens to Jaromil's uncle?
(a) He leaves his wife to hide in a remote village.
(b) He contracts pneumonia and dies.
(c) He is charged with being an enemy of the state and imprisoned.
(d) He is charged with fraud and imprisoned.

4. Why is Jaromil not jealous when he considers the redhead in the hands of the policemen?
(a) Once she is gone, he no longer cares about her.
(b) He knows that her love for him will never waver.
(c) He has deep faith that the policemen will never hurt her.
(d) She is his creation and therefore belongs only to him.

5. What location is Maman most excited to film in?
(a) The countryside surrounding Prague.
(b) Her garden.
(c) Jaromil's bedroom.
(d) The artist's studio.

Short Answer Questions

1. The last time the man and girl had seen each other, what had they talked about?

2. How does Maman destroy the intimacy between Jaromil and herself?

3. Why is Jaromil jealous of the redhead?

4. In Kundera's example, what will happen to the poet if he steps outside his mirrored domain?

5. What happens during the second half of Jaromil's poetry recitation?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the author insert his own thoughts into Part 6, Chapter 1? What effect does this have on this entire part?

2. Why does Jaromil want to undress the redhead? How does this show his inadequate understanding of relationships?

3. After not sleeping with the cinematographer, Jaromil considers his underwear for a long time, in light of the women involved. What does he decide? How does this single piece of clothing drive so much of what he does?

4. What does the middle-aged man tell the girl about Jaromil? How is this story the opposite of what Jaromil ever wanted?

5. What happens when Jaromil recites his poems to the audience of police members? How does this compare to the hopes he has had?

6. How is the girl a different person from when she went into the prison? How is she more like Jaromil had been?

7. "Only a real poet knows how lonely it is inside the mirrored house of poetry" (Part 7, Chapter 1, pg 289). Where else does the reader see mirrors in the story, and how does this sentence relate to Jaromil's life?

8. What arguments do Jaromil and the redhead have concerning their families? How does this illustrate Jaromil's juvenile mindset?

9. What is Maman's opinion about the redheaded girl? How does her reaction perpetuate the cycle of her own relationship with Jaromil?

10. Jaromil's first revelation about duty is that it is "voluntary and represents human daring and dignity" (Part 5, Chapter 11, pg 263). Given his situation, is this true?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,884 words (approx. 7 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample