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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. How many laborers are assigned to Dr. Poole in his job?

2. What is the Arch Vicar's opinion of the Industrial Revolution?

3. How does the Arch Vicar aid Dr. Poole in seeing the mating rituals better?

4. According to the Arch Vicar, how do Men destroy themselves?

5. What is the Arch Vicar's opinion of demon possession?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Dr. Poole's reasoning for why Belial can never win in his battle against mankind?

2. What scientific reason does the script narrator give for the restrictive mating season of the primitives?

3. What is the Arch Vicar's explanation for why his people worship Belial, all the while acknowledging the being's evilness.

4. What became of the Canterbury and its crew, ultimately?

5. Describe the moment in which Dr. Poole and Loola discover romantic feelings for one another, rather than lust.

6. How does the Arch Vicar find out about Dr. Poole's escape? How does he react?

7. What restrictions are placed on mating in the primitive community? What happens to those who dare to disobey?

8. How is Loola finally swayed to run away with Dr. Poole?

9. What commentary does the script narrator offer about joy (as described in a poem by Shelley) and the possibility of joy in the ape-mind?

10. How does the poetry of Percy Shelley contribute to the development of romance between Dr. Poole and Loola?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Allusions are a frequent presence in Ape and Essence. Choose four literary allusions and explain their significance and meaning.

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