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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 Pope decide, based on the evidence?

2. What does Francis picture the fallout shelter becoming?

3. What decree does the Pope give Francis?

4. What does the Abbot want Francis to deny?

5. How much weight has Francis lost during his vigil?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the Poet's living conditions.

2. What was Isaac Edward Leibowitz's profession before the Flame Deluge?

3. Why doesn't Francis want to join the Pope's crusade?

4. How does the Pope treat the clan chief?

5. Why are a shopping list and casual notes treasured finds for Brother Francis?

6. Describe Brother Kornhoer's invention.

7. What did Leibowitz do after the Flame Deluge?

8. Describe Abbot Paulo's health problem.

9. In what way is Brother Francis's motivation selfish?

10. Describe the Valley of the Misborn.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Does the novel contain miracles, or is it ambiguous? Describe in your discussion possible miraculous events in the novel, including the life of the Old Jew and the actions of Rachel at the end of the novel. What are the possible natural explanations of these events? If these events are miraculous, what is their purpose and meaning, and what do they say about the nature of God?

Essay Topic 2

Compare the three abbots who control the Albertine Order of Leibowitz. What are their goals and fears? How do they see their duty toward the Memorabilia, the Order, and the Church? In what different ways do they carry out those duties?

Essay Topic 3

What is the nature and meaning of ritual in the novel? What is the purpose of the elaborate ritual of canonization, although the Pope and Vatican are poor? What are the rituals of the monks, and do they serve to preserve knowledge or to hide it? What is the purpose of Francis' ritual fast in the desert? Are these and other rituals in the novel effective? What happens when ritual loses its original meaning?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 753 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample