View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In "Three Versions of Judas," what is the third version of Judas?

2. In "A Survey of the Works of Herbert Quain," Quain's work can best be described as which of the following?

3. In "The House of Asterion," Asterion kills how many people?

4. In "The Secret Miracle," what happens to extend Hladik's life for a time?

5. In "The Improbable Impostor Tom Castro," how does Tom make a living after he gets out of jail?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. In "Funes, His Memory," is Funes's prodigious memory a good thing or a bad thing?

3. In "The Library of Babel," the imaginary library of the title is an allusion to the Tower of Babel. How is this appropriate?

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

5. In "The Circular Ruins," a man creates another man in a dream and ultimately discovers that he is a dream himself. Is Borges making a possible connection to the artistic process?

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

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

8. In "A Biography of Tadeo Isidoro Cruz (1829-1874)," what makes Tadeo decide to fight for Martin Fierro, the man he pursues?

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

10. In "The Writing of the God," why does Tzinacan decide to stay in his cell?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The concept of Time is a frequent theme of Borges'. Think of "The Secret Miracle," "The Man on the Threshold," "The Plot," "The Immortal," as some major examples. Pick one of these stories or choose one of your own, and describe the depiction of time. Is the passage of time contingent upon our subjective perceptions? Do events repeat themselves endlessly?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay on issues of race in Borges' stories. "The Cruel Redeemer Lazarus Morell" seems to point out the evils of slavery. At the same time, Borges will often describe a character simply as a "black man," as if that were the defining characteristic. In "The Improbable Impostor Tom Castro," Ebenezer Bogle is described as "black" and a "genius." Does this juxtaposition suggest a belief that the two terms are usually mutually exclusive? Is Borges, in terms of race, merely the product of his times? Or, is he critiquing the racial views of his times? Use at least two stories in arguing your point.

Essay Topic 3

Pick one of the following objects: knives, mirrors, coins, mystic books. Discuss how this item is used as a leitmotif in Borges' stories. What is the significance of the item, both literally and metaphorically? Why does Borges choose this precise object? All of the above choices abound in "Collected Fictions." Choose at least two stories to investigate for your chosen item.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,454 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample