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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 kind of bird did she change into?

2. What did Carlos use to light the pipe?

3. What were the branches for?

4. What is the thing that gives Carlos the chills?

5. When does the guardian become nothing?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Carlos feel when don Genaro and don Juan were sitting with him?

2. Why is the water dangerous?

3. Why did Carlos drop his apprenticeship?

4. Describe what 'will' is.

5. What fascinated Carlos Castaneda when don Juan explained sorcery?

6. How is will different from seeing?

7. Explain what the 'fog' is.

8. How must people treat the world?

9. What is the difference between the way regular people treat the world, and the way a warrior treats the world?

10. What was the only way to dull the edge off of learning about one's death was?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many times throughout this novel, Carlos feels as though he is going to die. Rationalize his motivation to continue on in his attempts to be a man of knowledge. How does his desire to understand what is happening interfere with this attempt to become a man of knowledge?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Explain the human fascination with understanding. How could it limit us in the search for universal truth? In what situations do we blindly accept what we are told? How do you think this is possible?

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This section contains 752 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample