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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 question does Geryon ask Herakles in "Sex Question"?

2. What is Geryon's mother standing next to in the opening line from “Screendoor”?

3. Who is described as wearing rhinestones in "Rhinestones"?

4. What is compared to "the sleep of the just" in "Each"?

5. What does Geryon receive from a friend of his mother's in “Ideas”?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is the motif of the color red explored in "Justice," "Each," and "Rhinestones"?

2. What is the purpose of the book's introduction “Red Meat: What Difference did Stesichoros Make?”

3. What is noted about the innovations of Stesichoros' writing in “Red Meat: What Difference did Stesichoros Make?”

4. How are volcanoes explored metaphorically in Section 6?

5. Describe the structure of the poems in the main storyline. How are the poems similar in their format?

6. What is the significance of the encounter with the centaur in "Geryon's Weekend"?

7. What are examples of foreshadowing seen in “Sex Question” through “Somnambula”?

8. How would you describe the language style in the introduction to the novel?

9. What is described in the poem "Herakles' Killing Arrow"?

10. What irony can be seen in the poem "Justice"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the themes of identity and the "Other" in Autobiography of Red. How are these themes developed through character, setting, and action? How does the author support these themes through symbolism and imagery?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and discuss the character of Herakles in Autobiography of Red. When and where does Geryon meet Herakles? What is the nature of their relationship? How does this relationship evolve?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the author's allusions to Gertrude Stein and to Homer in Autobiography of Red. How are these authors compared to Stesichoros? In what way have these authors innovated literature and/or poetry? What is said about the power of words in Stein's quote in the beginning of the novel?

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This section contains 827 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample