Episode 3-
Chapter 1-
how old is Anton? 23 years old
what reason does Anton give for avoiding the theater? and why does he react this way? ' he had avoided going to the theater ever since, for incomprehensible reasons, he had felt indisposed during a splendid performance of Chekhov's Cherry Orchard directed by Charof. during a scene where a man sat at a table with bowed head while a woman outside on a terrace shouted at someone, Anton was overcome by a sense of something dreadful, something elusive but so overwhelming that he had to leave at once.'
what area of medicine is Anton specializing in and why? what does this make the reader think about him? ' he already decided to specialize in anesthesia. he knew that he could earn twice, even three times, as much if he became an internist or cardiologist with a private practice.' I think he wants to use the drugs to get him to forget his past, or maybe commit suicide.
what are Anton's thoughts about politics and why is this? ' and then there was politics. the talk went on forever, but he hardly bothered to follow it, especially on a national level. though he read the headlines, he forgot them at once. when an English colleague questioned him about the dutch system of government, Anton knew very little, no more than about the German or french. as to the newspaper, he spent most of the time trying to solve the daily crossword puzzle; he couldn't resist them and had become an expert.' i think he is running away from his past and he is trying to avoid it no mater what, i think he hates politics and the mentality of it.
Chapter 2-
list what is happening in the world right now. Communism and international politics.
what is happening near Anton's apartment and what is his reaction to it? ' the rumble of the Russian tanks which had rolled into Budapest still echoed within Holland and nowhere more audibly than around the corner from Anton's apartment. there, in a large eighteenth century building called Felix merits, were the headquarters of the communist party unruly mobs roamed the city, destroying everything that had to do with the communists, from their bookstore to the windows of their homes.' and his reaction was 'Anton was totally uninterested in all this. he would never have taken part; he even avoided conversations about it. somehow he couldn't help thinking that through it was all pretty terrible.'
what happens as Anton reaches his apartment? 'just as he reached the doorway, all hell broke loose. police cars from the keizergracht suddenly appeared and dove into the mob with blasting sirens and blazing lights, stepping on the gas, slamming on the brakes, then revving up again. policemen on horseback with drawn swords now invaded the street, and motorcycles with sidecars rode up and down the sidewalks while helmeted policemen leaned out of them and hit people with the handles of long black poles.'
who does Anton see and speak to? Anton spoke to Fake Ploeg.
Chapter 3-
list the initial differences between Anton and his guest on pages 85-86. Anton is not interested with the chaos going in the streets, Fake is participating in it. Anton's looks have not changed at all, Fake's looks have changed. Anton is a student and he is studying medicine, Fake works in a hardware store. Anton is aware of the latest fashions, Fake is not.
what is the reaction of both characters to the question "is your mother still alive?" " ' is your mother still alive?' Fake nodded. 'yes,' he said after a silence. he made it sound like a kind of admission." " ' after the war they arrested my mother and put her in a camp. i ended up in a catholic boarding school. so i had to go there, even though i wasn't catholic." "what was your mother accused of?" " ' ask the gentlemen of the special judiciary they probably suspected her of being married to my father.' from his tone Anton could tell that Fake had said this before, and it didn't sound as if he had thought it up himself, either." " ' so that's the difference right? we're in the same class, your parents are shot, but you're doing medical studies all the same, whereas my father was shot and i repair water heaters." "besides, isn't there a difference between your father's and my parent's deaths?" " 'what difference ' Fake asked aggressively. ' my parents were innocent.' ' my father too,' he said in a moment's hesitation, his eyes on Anton. Anton, amazed, kept silent."
what happened to his guest and his mother after the war? his guest repaired water heaters, and after the war his mother got arrested and put in a camp. he also ended up in a catholic boarding school.
what is the difference between them according to the guest and how does Anton react to this statement? "so whats the difference right? we're in the same class, your parents are shot, but you're doing medical studies all the same, whereas my father was shot and i repair water heaters."
"besides isn't there some difference between your father's and my parent's deaths?"
"what difference?" 'Fake asked aggressively.'
"my parents were innocent."
"My father too," 'he said without a moment's hesitation, his eyes on Anton. Anton, amazed, kept silent.
what are the opinions of the two of them on communism on page 89? " with his head he motioned to the ugly stone that was still lying like an insult on his grand piano. 'then you should have been a communist instead.' before Fake answered, he took his glass and poured the last drops down his throat. 'communism,' he said calmly, but with an undertone of rage, 'is the worst. just look at Budapest where an entire people's drive for freedom is being drowned with blood.' 'Fake,' said Anton irritated, ' i'm no communist either, but that doesn't mean i find it necessary to learn those headlines by heart.' "
how does Anton describe the way their fathers were killed? " 'my family,' Anton said, massaging his neck with his empty hand, 'was not executed by communists but by your father's friends.' 'but those communists knew what would happen' 'therefore they were to blame? ' 'right. who else?' 'Fake,' said Anton. 'i understand that you'd want to defend your father. he was, after all, your father. but if your father had been my father, if everything had been turned around would you then be defending Fake Ploeg? let's not kid each other. your father was killed by the communists with premeditation because they had decided that it was essential, but my family was senselessly slaughtered by fascists, of whom your father was one. isn't that right?' "
what is the guests view of collaborators? he thought they were ignorant and fascist.
what is a fascist? a person who believes in or sympathizes with fascism. fascism is a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power.
who does the guest blame for the shooting and why? " and because of his conviction they shot him - and that's what cost your family their lives. if the communists hadn't done that, your father and mother would be here today.
what does the guest do with the stone and why and what does Anton think of this? "he turned toward him, then away, passed his hand over his eyes in despair and suddenly grabbed the stone. he looked about, looked at Anton, who raised his arms to his head in self defense and cried 'Fake!' Fake took aim and threw it straight at the mirror." he did it because he felt angry when Anton told him that his fathers name is scared on a monument. Anton got scared and he tried cover himself to try not to get hurt.
why does the guest return and what is Anton's reaction? Fake came back, and Anton grabbed his tennis racket to defend himself but Fake came back with the memory of Anton coming to his classroom and he's in a monkey suit. he waved as he left Anton's apartment.
look at the last sentence, what has he found out in this episode? "one more thing he would never have found out id it hadn't been from Fake" the stone he threw had a label and it was a celebration of something sacred made Anton remember something in his past, thanks to fake.
what do you know about communism in the 1950's? i know that the communist party use to censor newspapers, i knew they use to give trials to people in the streets, i know there was the 'secret police'... i also know that the objective to make everyone equal failed.
