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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. Who becomes entrenched with the Nazis?

2. Where does Otto live?

3. What is a writer's term for a piece that is essentially "a slice of life?"

4. What is the name of the indulgent American man that takes Bowles under his wing?

5. Fraulein Mayr belongs to which organization?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the activity shared by Christopher and Fritz. Does the activity confirm any thoughts about Christopher's sexuality?

2. What is the subtitle to this section? When and where do the events take place?

3. What is the nature of the relationship between Peter and Otto?

4. What happens to Bernard at the end of the story? What does it really mean?

5. What becomes of Fraulein Schroeder?

6. What are Christopher's final thoughts on the events of the past several years?

7. How does Christopher describe the situation?

8. How does Christopher describe Bernard? How does he compare to Natalia?

9. What was Christopher's reaction to being flirted with by two of the three ill women at the sanitarium?

10. What events lead up to the first problems with Sally and Christopher?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the peculiar relationship between Norris and Schmidt. Was the relationship purely professional? Why did the men repeatedly get back together if the relationship was volatile? Why do you think Schmidt followed Norris to Mexico and California? Why did Norris put up with Schmidt's drunken abuse? What do you think Schmidt knew about Norris that others did not?

Essay Topic 2

Sally Bowles was a gold digger. The author states that Sally was a mediocre singer with grand aspirations. As a result, Sally thought it was a good idea to latch onto wealthy men with money. In other words, Sally was looking for a "sugar daddy." Discuss the practice of men and women becoming involved with others in order to take advantage of their wealth and/or position. Does it ever work? Is it illegal or immoral? Would you do it? Did it work out for Sally?

Essay Topic 3

In the beginning of A Berlin Diary, Isherwood refers to himself as a camera. Isherwood says, "I am a camera with its shutter open, quite passive, recording, not thinking." Why do you think Isherwood used the camera as a metaphor? Why would Isherwood want to record everything around him yet not think about or analyze it? What other references are made to the camera throughout the text? What other metaphors might have worked as well or better?

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This section contains 669 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample