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. Just before the outbreak of the Vietnam conflict, who was the enemy that Vietnam was about to go to war with?

2. Why does the Truck Driver say that it is unsurprising that Kien has bad dreams?

3. What is Kien doing at the start of Part Three?

4. How much time passes whilst Kien is away?

5. Who lives above Kien?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Kien so distressed at the start of Part 2?

2. What did Kien remember feeling before the onset of war?

3. During what years did the Vietnam War take place?

4. Why does Kien and Phuong's relationship turn sour after they reunite?

5. Who is Lan?

6. What is the significance of where the Mute Girl lives?

7. Why does Kien write so obsessively?

8. Why does Kien think about executing the North Vietnamese commandos?

9. What job do we find Kien doing at the start of The Sorrow of War?

10. What is the Jungle called that Kien finds himself outside of

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Was Kien an unwilling participant of the Vietnam War? Did Kien support the war?

Essay Topic 2

What is a muse? Who was the muse in Kien’s story? Explain your reasoning.

Essay Topic 3

One theme of the novel is survivor guilt. Discuss how this theme is presented in the story.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 370 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample