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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. The novel begins on what important day?

2. What does the Chief believe about the current level of discipline in the primitive community?

3. What is the subject of the song the female baboon sings?

4. According to the narrator, truth without charity is not God but ___________.

5. What is the reader told about how the "Ape and Essence" script appears in the novel?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Dr. Poole able to argue his way out of being buried alive?

2. Describe the circumstances during which Dr. Poole is kidnapped.

3. How do Bob Briggs and the narrator initially become interested in "Ape and Essence"?

4. How does Bob Briggs help Rosie?

5. What background information is the narrator able to learn about William Tallis?

6. Describe the opening of the movie "Ape and Essence."

7. Why are the gravediggers robbing graves?

8. How do Chief and Dr. Poole clash over books at Pershing Square?

9. What is the New Zealand Rediscovery Expedition, and what is its mission?

10. Describe the moment involving a religious rite practiced by the Satanic Science Practitioner.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Much discussion is centered around the discovery of the truth and the nature of knowledge. What kind of theory of truth/knowledge does the novel put forth? How do the Arch Vicar and Dr. Poole differ about the nature of truth and knowledge? What is the consequence for an absence of truth?

Essay Topic 2

Similar to Huxley's own Brave New World, Ape and Essence is concerned with the danger of totalitarian states. Explain how Huxley makes this fear manifest and how world events in Huxley's life encouraged Huxley to pursue cautionary tales about totalitarianism.

Essay Topic 3

How is organized religion depicted in Ape and Essence? Do you believe Huxley intends the Arch Vicar's religion to provide a characterization of all of organized religion? How might the Belial religion compare to modern Christian religion? Is organized religion another of society's ills in Huxley's view?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,088 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample