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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. Before leaving the library in Chapter 3, what word does Pnin look up in the dictionary for its proper pronunciation?

2. What is Laurence Clements wife's name?

3. How would Pnin's English be described?

4. How serious is Pnin's condition?

5. In Chapter 3, how long has Pnin now been staying with the Clementses?

Short Essay Questions

1. How well does Pnin speak English? Describe in detail.

2. Why does Pnin seek out Oleg Komarov in Chapter 3?

3. Why has Pnin always been a constant mover?

4. What does Pnin discover from the librarian that is surprising to him in Chapter 3?

5. How does Liza use Pnin to get to America?

6. What does Pnin almost encounter when he comes down the stairs during the Clementses' party in Chapter 2?

7. Describe Pnin's fellow professor, Oleg Komarov.

8. What word does Pnin look up in the dictionary and why?

9. What subject does Pnin have no desire to teach?

10. How does Laurence Clements feel about Pnin staying in his house?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the Clementses and their relationship with Pnin, comparing their first impressions of Pnin to how they end up feeling about Pnin. What kind of people are the Clementses? How does Pnin know them? What do Pnin and Joan bond over? What are some examples from the book that demonstrate the Clementses beginning to like Pnin?

Essay Topic 2

Pnin tells many stories throughout the action of the main story. Explore the author's use of the literary device story-within-a-story in the novel "Pnin".

Part 1) Is the author using stories-within-a-story to parody views of the world?

Part 2) Is the author using stories-within-a-story to give background about particular characters or events?

Part 3) How is this literary device effective in the novel "Pnin"?

Essay Topic 3

The setting in "Pnin" is important to the tone and shape of the story. Analyze the use of setting in "Pnin". How did Vladimir Nabokov describe his setting? How is the setting almost considered a character in the story? How is Pnin's social environment considered a part of the setting?

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