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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 Widow Ching--Pirate," what prompts the protagonist to become a pirate?

2. In "The Cruel Redeemer Lazarus Morell," what city does Lazarus plan to overtake?

3. In "The Story of the Warrior and the Captive Maiden," who is Droctulft?

4. In "The Theologians," what do the Monotoni believe?

5. In "The Circular Ruins," other than the sorcerer himself, who knows about the content of his dreams?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "The Immortal," what is the result of immortality?

2. In "Death and the Compass," how does Scharlach defeat Lonnrot?

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

4. In "House of Asterion," is there anything sympathetic about Asterion?

5. In "Ibn-Hakam-Al Bokhari, Murdered in his Labyrinth," according to Unwin, why did Sa'id truly steal the treasure, and what are the implications of this motivation?

6. In "The Other Death," how does Borges suggest that Pedro Damian could actually be both a hero and a coward?

7. In "The End," does the black man who plays his guitar and continually waits outside the bar get what he has been waiting for?

8. In "Emma Zunz," how does Emma exact revenge on Lowenthal for her father's death?

9. In "Monk Eastman Purveyor of Iniquities," what first stops Monk's criminal life of violence, and then what allows him to continue this violence in a new form?

10. In "A Theologian in Death," what is Melancthon's doctrine and what are the implications of this doctrine?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does Borges, a cerebral author, often focus on lowlife characters? He often frames stories of knife fights, gangsters, murder, prostitution, etc., with academic musings. What is the effect of this seeming disconnect? Does this rough subject matter undercut the intellectualism? Or does the intellectual frame suggest that there might be more to these earthy stories? Perhaps they strike a perfect balance. Use specific stories in developing your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Describe the style of Borges. Is it spare? Baroque? Academic? Opaque? Etc. Think, for instance, of "The Approach to Al Mu'tasim," which is written as a book review of the book "The Approach to Al Mu'tasim." Is his style mostly consistent throughout his stories, or are there any significant changes? Is his style appropriate for his subjects? Does his style itself often mirror the themes of the stories? Use at least three different stories to illustrate your point .

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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