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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. When do Jaromil's parents redecorate his room?
2. Why does the artist paint two X's on Maman's face?
3. What does Jaromil draw during his first lesson in the artist's studio?
4. After the debate in the artist's apartment, how does Jaromil know he is no longer welcome there?
5. What justification does Maman give herself for her initial infidelity?
Short Essay Questions
1. When the artist explains the red and brown painting to Maman, what is her response? How does this set the tone for the rest of their relationship?
2. After the death of Maman's husband, how does she change? Though Kundera does not make it overt, is this change for the better or for the worse?
3. How are Jaromil's university experiences told in the novel? What message does this convey to the reader about the scope of the novel?
4. When the Communists stage a coup, Jaromil and his uncle fight about the justice of the action. What does this fight reveal about Jaromil's place in the world, particularly in the political realm?
5. In Xavier's interactions with the woman in the apartment, what role does water play?
6. Why is Jaromil attracted to the dark-haired girl? What does this attraction show about his development as a character?
7. "It was sad, but beautiful, too: for a moment, Jaromil lost the feeling of being a mere child" (Part 3, Chapter 25, pg 150). What causes this moment? Will it last?
8. How does the artist's concept of an "inner world" (Part 1, Chapter 6, pg 30) dramatically change Jaromil's character?
9. "He [Jaromil] was searching for immensity. His life was hopeless, small, everything around him was flat, gray" (Part 3, Chapter 8, pg 104). How does Kundera's presentation of the novel prove this to be true?
10. How does Jaromil view the loss of his virginity as a metaphysical event? Is his perception true?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
How does the beautiful blond girl's death prefigure Jaromil's own death? How have both people been betrayed by Xavier?
Essay Topic 2
Kundera admits that the novel has the same limitations as reality (Part 6, Chapter 1, pg 269). What does this mean? How does this play out in the lives of the characters? What is the effect of speaking so candidly to the reader?
Essay Topic 3
When is Jaromil compared to other poets? How does their fame reflect on him? What is the effect of these comparisons?
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This section contains 1,750 words (approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page) |
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