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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 school did Phaedrus attend as a boy?

2. What does Lila plan to be her final destination after getting a drink at the restaurant in Chapter 18?

3. How does Jamie react to Lila's offer to bring him on board as a crew member?

4. For what reasons does this actor come to see Phaedrus in Chapter 19?

5. How does Lila feel about Phaedrus after meeting with Jamie and Fatso?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the two different cultural evaluations of Phaedrus?

2. How does Phaedrus's musings on the Victorians bring him back to his initial ideas on the American Indians?

3. Why does Lila leave the name of the boat with the waiter and what does this imply about her plans?

4. How does Phaedrus connect the Zen concept of hell to celebrity?

5. What does Phaedrus deduce about Lila from his meeting with her friends?

6. Describe Phaedrus's analogy of New York City to a giant.

7. What does Lila discover when she goes to pay for her bill at the restaurant?

8. What role does Robert Redford play in this book?

9. What ideas does Phaedrus develop about Victorian beliefs in Chapter 21?

10. What is Lila's motivation in asking Jamie to join her and Phaedrus?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When one cannot be the same person they were earlier and they find themselves being defined by the perceptions of others, what happens to that person's identity within their society? Discuss this question in relation to both Phaedrus and Lila.

Essay Topic 2

Describe the many roles New York City plays in this book, in terms of setting, metaphors, and symbolism.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the Metaphysics of Quality in detail.

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