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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 is Reuven?

2. Who is Michael Gordon?

3. Who has been seeing Rachel more and more?

4. What is one major point of Gordon's "theology"?

5. What does Michael say his nosebleeds are not a result of?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who does Reuven call the day after sailing with Michael and what is the result?

2. Describe Reuven and Michael's phone conversation.

3. Who does Reuven encounter at the library and what is the person doing?

4. When does Michael get a nosebleed at the fair, and what do Reuven and Rachel do?

5. What does Kalman discuss with Reuven after class concerning Professor Gordon?

6. What does Michael say about orthodox Jews?

7. How does the narrator's neighborhood change in the early 1950s?

8. Describe the game which Michael is playing and which is making Reuven and Rachel nervous for him.

9. How does Danny's father raise Danny?

10. What do Reuven and Professor Gordon discuss about Michael?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Much of The Promise concerns theology. Many of the major characters are either Rabbis or studying to become a Rabbi. Michael, who is still a boy, makes perhasp some of the most interesting statements about god. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think Michael means when he says "God is smoke"?

2. Michael says he cannot get God out of his mind--discuss that statement in light of Michael's personality.

3. Are Michael's problems mostly spiritual; mostly psychological, or a combination of the two? Discuss thoroughly with examples.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of change. Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with change? Why? What are some symbols of change? Symbols of rigidity? What characters seem rigid?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of mental/emotional illness. Which characters struggle with some sort of emotional illness? Why? Which characters seem really healthy emotionally/mentally? Why? How is Michael Gordon's emotional problems a metaphor for the changes taking place in the realm of Jewish theology?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of tradition. What is Reuven's view of tradition? Kalman's? Michael Gordon's? Professor Gordon's? Why is tradition important to some characters? Is anyone willing to abandon traditional viewpoints? Who? What are the positive and negative sides to tradition?

Essay Topic 3

The Promise, like many, and perhaps a majority, of novels ends on a happy (or at least optimistic) note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many (most?) people want what they perceive as a happy or good ending to a novel? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why? not?

2. What are three reasons to read fiction? Discuss each one in light of The Promise and whether or not The Promise fulfills all three, two or one of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why The Promise is or is not successful in fulfilling the reasons you discuss.

3. Do you think reading solely for entertainment is as good a reason to read as any other? Why or why not? Can any work of fiction or non-fiction, no matter how poorly written, enlighten, teach, stimulate thought? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 997 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample