View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How long is it before the elections at the time of the narrative?

2. When Paul ducks into the restroom to look at the videos on Michel's phone, what does he find?

3. What is happening when Paul returns from the restroom to the table?

4. Watching his son approach on his bike at the restaurant, Paul compares Michel's movements with those of what?

5. Who does the waitress hit in the head with her elbow when pouring the wine?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Paul go into Michel's room an hour before he and Claire leave for the restaurant? Why does he tell Michel he is there?

2. Why does Paul go into the restroom after finding Claire and Babette in the garden? Does he achieve his objective?

3. How is Serge's wine expertise regarded by Paul?

4. Why does Michel call his father while he his at the restaurant?

5. What conversation does Paul and Claire have regarding Michel before they go to the restaurant?

6. How is Rick's behavior described in the video?

7. Where do Paul and Claire go before the restaurant? Why?

8. What is the significance of the white sneakers in the video?

9. What film is described by Claire as the most racist film ever in Chapter 13? Why?

10. How does Paul describe his brother's eating behavior?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the character of Paul as an example of an unreliable narrator. What aspects of Paul's narrative come into question? Why? How would this novel differ if Paul were a reliable narrator, or if the story were related from a third-person perspective?

Essay Topic 2

Explore and evaluate Claire and Michel's "solution." Why do you think the author chose to have the final decisive actions taken by characters other than the narrator? What would be Paul's solution to the problem?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the importance of the setting in The Dinner. What is the main setting of the novel? What settings are described in flashbacks? How might this novel differ if set in a different country? How would it differ if set in a different type of restaurant?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 827 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample