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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. Where does Reuven’s father travel for research for his articles in Chapter 10?

2. In Chapter 18, Reb Saunders says, "...One learns of the pain of others by” what?

3. Reuven discovers that his father has been invited to what meeting in Chapter 15?

4. It was the end of what month when the American troops reached the Rhine River and held against German counterattacks in Chapter 11?

5. What declines considerably at Reuven’s college after the memorial for a fallen graduate in Chapter 15?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the new school year begin for Reuven and Danny in Chapter 11?

2. What viewpoints does Chapter 12 present regarding the creation of Israel?

3. How do Danny and Reuven’s fathers disagree regarding the establishment of a Jewish state?

4. How is the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt described in Chapter 11?

5. How does David Malter defend the actions of Reb Saunders in Chapter 13?

6. What does Reuven’s father compare Danny Saunders to in Chapter 17?

7. What is the central theme of Chapter 18? How does this theme relate to silence?

8. How does the death of a Hirsch College graduate affect Reuven and his fellow classmates in Chapter 15?

9. What is the significance of Danny’s discussion of silence in Chapter 17?

10. How do Reuven and Danny spend their first month of summer in Chapter 10?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the characters of Mr. Savo, Billy Merritt and Mr. Galanter. What are Reuven’s impressions of each of these individuals? How do they each influence Reuven as a character? What do they each represent symbolically in the narrative?

Essay Topic 2

Define literary motif and discuss the motif of silence illustrated in the novel. What different silences are described by the narrator? What do they symbolize to him? What does silence mean to Danny and Reb Saunders?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of psychology in the book. Why is Danny drawn toward the study of psychoanalysis? How does Reuven differ in this regard? What does Danny’s interest in psychology cause conflict within his family and culture?

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