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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 Joncour notice when his wife comes to kiss him goodnight?

2. What does Joncour notice about the other passengers on the train as he travels home from his fourth trip to Japan?

3. In his later years, what does Joncour do once a year?

4. Who is the youngest daughter named after?

5. The morning after the party, who is waiting for Joncour outside of his house?

Short Essay Questions

1. On the fourth trip to Japan, what does the young boy offer Joncour to get him to follow him? Who is this boy? Who sent him? Why is he in the village alone?

2. When the young boy is hanged, why does Hara Kei say the boy was the message of love? What does he mean by that? Does this have anything to do with the boy's happy disposition? What?

3. The envelope that Joncour receives is mailed from Ostend, which is in Belgium. Who do you think sent the letters knowing this information?

4. Why do Joncour and Helene name a daughter Agnes? What is this referring to? Who is this a tribute to?

5. Why do you think Madame Blanche wants to forget about her native language? Why does she make Joncour promise to never return to her for a translation?

6. What does Joncour know about the Englishman they meet at the Riviera at the baron's birthday party? What is he wearing? Why is he upset when he looks at his wife and the Englishman?

7. On his fourth trip to Japan, what does Joncour find when he arrives at Hara Kei's village? How does he see the village? What is the state of the village a symbol of?

8. When Joncour finally tells Baldabiou about the girl in Japan he says, "To die of nostalgia for something you will never live," what does he mean?

9. Why does Joncour take Baldabiou to the house of Jean Berbeck that he buys? What is he looking for? Why does he think that Baldabiou will understand?

10. The letter describes a sexual encounter but eludes to fact that it has already happened? What does this mean?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why do you think Helene runs after Baldabiou at the train station? What do you think their relationship was? Why do you think that? What else happens that indicates that they have a close relationship? Do you think Helene experienced the same thing as her husband in the months he was away from her? Why do you think that?

Essay Topic 2

Who does Baldabiou play billiards against? Why is his loss before he leaves town important? How is his job as mentor over?

Essay Topic 3

Joncour is a hero to his town, giving nearly all the town a way to make a living, and yet, he blindly pursues the mistress, knowing full well that he could lose everything for his town. Why does Joncour, in chapter after chapter, move toward his own destruction with little or no reservation to the damage he will do to his town or his wife? How can this man be so blind?

(see the answer keys)

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