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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. Why can Carlos' view of the world not be final?

2. Why did don Juan leave the room?

3. What did Carlos think was don Juan's reason for responding in such a manner to him?

4. What were the people that Carlos had encountered when he had abandoned don Vincente's gift?

5. What was don Juan's intention?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was don Juan's task as a practitioner?

2. Why does each chapter end on a dramatic note?

3. What does don Juan say about Carlos' progress?

4. Why did the guardian stop Carlos?

5. What about Castaneda's behavior did don Genaro find amusing and why?

6. What is tricky regarding allies?

7. What is the difference between a stranger and a practitioner?

8. What could the guardian do if it got angry?

9. What was don Juan's explanation for the lights behind them?

10. Why didn't Carlos 'see' the people that were around when he had left the plants?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Speculate on how Carlos' life would be if he went back to living as he used to. Is it possible for him to return to his ordinary life? Why or why not? What kinds of things might bring him back into becoming a man of knowledge? Is it possible that he would want to return to his ordinary life? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

If this work was taken as a factual account of Carlos' experiences, attempt to rationalize the many ethereal things that occurred in this novel that were NOT under the influence of the psilocybin smoke. Is it possible to do so? Explain your justification.

Essay Topic 3

Mescalito and allies are the main spirits consistently talked about throughout the course of this novel. What is the difference between these spirits and God? How are they similar?

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This section contains 906 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample