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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. In "The Secret Miracle," why is Hladik truly upset that he will be executed?

2. In "The Writing of God," what animal is jailed next to Tzinacan?

3. In "The Widow Ching--Pirate," what occupation does Ching decide on, after she gives up pirating?

4. In "The Disinterested Killer Bill Harrigan," who shoots Bill?

5. In "The Garden of Forking Paths," why does Dr. Yu murder Dr. Albert?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "The Theme of the Traitor and the Hero," why does Kilpatrick participate in his own assassination?

2. In "Pierre Menard, Author of Quixote," Menard wants to rewrite Cervantes' novel word for word. Why does he want to pursue such an exercise in seeming futility?

3. How can the story "Tlon, Uqbar, and Orbis Tertius" best be described?

4. In "The Secret Miracle," does Hladik really gain anything in the year of frozen time that God grants him?

5. In "The Widow Ching--Pirate," Ching becomes a pirate, but does she have any virtuous qualities, even in this criminal profession?

6. In "Averroes' Search," how is Borges' attempt to write of Averroes similar to Averroes own difficulties?

7. In "The Lottery in Babylon," what could the lottery symbolize?

8. "The Approach to Al-Mu'tasim" is a review of a book that does not exist. How is this significant?

9. In "Man on the Pink Corner," why does Rosendo disappear and then come back when challenged by the Yardmaster?

10. In "The Cruel Redeemer Lazarus Morell," describe Lazarus' moral character.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In "Funes, His Memory," Funes can remember his entire past, learn new languages, and absorb every detail of the present. What are the benefits of this power? What are the drawbacks? Would you like Funes' memory? Be sure to use specifics from the story in your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Borges often portrays characters who switch sides, stand for one cause and then join the opposite one. How do these characters reflect Borges' concept of human identity? Is he merely criticizing a form of human behavior, or is he making a point about the precariousness of the self? Choose at least two appropriate stories and be specific in your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Many of the stories in "Collected Fictions" are detective stories. Think of "Tlon, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius," "The Garden of Forking Paths," "Death and the Compass," "Ibn-Hakam al-Bokhari, Murdered in His Labyrinth" as examples of the major ones. How are Borges' detective stories similar or different from standard detective stories? Are they nail-biting whodunits, or something else? Are they satires of detective fiction? Choose at least one of the above stories and use it to specifically illustrate your argument.

(see the answer keys)

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