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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. What does the author say that the first love always is?

2. Between what two things does the writer say there may exist a significant difference?

3. What aspect of love does the author say is momentary?

4. What is the quality of marital love's movements?

5. How does the author say the young man may best perceive the state that precedes first love?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the author define and marriage of convenience?

2. Why does the author say that first love is found more frequently in women than men?

3. Describe what the author writes are the necessary inward conditions for marriage?

4. What does the author write first love is for "happy individualities?"

5. Describe the fantasy marriage the author proposes to the young man.

6. What is the author's problem with the vows in the marriage ceremony?

7. How does the author describe romantic love?

8. What is the author's stated intention?

9. What interests the author in a certain engraving dramatizing the story of Cain and Abel?

10. Describe the church wedding that the author says caused the young man to fume.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Both the author of the letter and the letter's recipient are men. Discuss the influence of gender in EITHER/OR. How might the letter be different if it were written by or to a woman? Why do you think both of the characters are men? Discuss citing specific examples.

Essay Topic 2

The author discusses depression at length in EITHER/OR. Why does the author assert men become depressed? When is depression virtuous and when is it self-indulgent? What does the author assert is the nature of his own depression? What does the author assert is the nature of the young man's depression? How does the author advise the young man to handle his melancholy. Discuss citing specific examples from the text.

Essay Topic 3

In the final chapter of EITHER/OR the author asserts it is upbuilding to realize that in relation to God we are always in the wrong? Elucidate the author's position in detail citing specific examples from the text.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 865 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample