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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 Zohra say about her and Sarhan?

2. What do Sarhan and Safeya do in Mahmoud's presence?

3. Who does Mariana thwart from interacting with Zohra?

4. Who does Mansour learn is arrested?

5. Who is Zohra with when Sarhand sees her after visiting with his friend Rafat?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Sarhan's encounter with Tolba on the street.

2. What does Mansour do when he learns of Fawzi's arrest?

3. Describe the fight with Safeya, Zohra and Sarhan from Sarhan's perspective.

4. How does Mahmoud inadvertently give Sarhan an excuse to move out of living with Safeya, and what does he say about marriage?

5. What does Mansour impulsively do when he meets Doreya at the zoo?

6. What are Mansour's first impressions of some of the boarders at the Miramar?

7. What are Ali and Sarhan's plans to gain money?

8. Summarize Mansour's analysis of the time the boarders spend together the night of the Umm Kulthum concert.

9. When does Sarhan first see Zohra and what does he do?

10. How does Mansour react to Sarhan's announcement that he intends to marry Aleya?

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 this book based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if it is a successful novel. Explain your rationale with specific examples.

3. Do you think the fact that "Miramar" falls within the genre of historical fiction changes the criteria upon which its success should be judged? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Naguib Mahfouz published over 50 novels, more than 350 short stories, dozens of movie scripts, and five plays over a 70-year career. Many of his works have been made into Egyptian and foreign films. There are a number of interesting questions raised by this book. Questions that Mahfouz may have wanted readers to consider and think through carefully. Discuss the following:

1. Research the life of Naguib Mahfouz and see if/where his life may have influenced his writing. Write a 2-3 page informative essay about Mahfouz as an author.

2. What does the term "author agenda" mean?

3.. Name one idea/concept you think may have been a part of the Mahfouz's agenda. Analyze that idea throughout the book and discuss Mahfouz's probable agenda concerning that idea.

3. Do you think writers who have an agenda for writing should point it out in a preface?

4. How often do you think fiction is written with a clear agenda in mind by the author?

Essay Topic 3

"Miramar" ends on an unhappy or seemingly morbid note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many (most?) people want what they perceive as a happy or good ending to a novel? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why? not?

2. What are three reasons to read fiction? Discuss each one in light of "Miramar" and whether or not it fulfills all three, two or one of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why "Miramar" is or is not successful in fulfilling the reasons you discuss.

3. Do you think reading solely for entertainment is as good a reason to read as any other? Why or why not? Can any work of fiction or non-fiction, no matter how poorly written, enlighten, teach, stimulate thought? Why or why not?

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