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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 "Museum--On Exactitude in Science," how big are the maps of the Empire?

2. In "Delia Elena San Marco," what does the narrator wonder after the death of his beloved?

3. In "Shakespeare's Memory," what do Shakespeare's memories do for Hermann?

4. In "The Maker," what physical problem is the protagonist going through?

5. In "Everything and Nothing," which of the following best describes Shakespeare?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "Borges and I," who are the two Borgeses, and what is the relationship between them?

2. In "The Rose of Paracelsus," why doesn't Paracelsus turn the ashes of the rose into a rose for the young man?

3. Name some of the customs and beliefs of the strange group in "The Sect of Thirty."

4. In "Covered Mirrors," what is the narrator's attitude toward mirrors?

5. In "The Interloper," do the Nelson brothers have any redeeming qualities?

6. What does "Shakespeare's Memory" say about creating art?

7. In "The Book of Sand," what are the stages of the narrator's view toward the book?

8. In "The Ethnographer," why won't Fred Murdock reveal the secret of the Indian tribe to the professor?

9. In "The Duel," what is the nature of the duel between Clara and Marta?

10. In "The Gospel According to Mark," why do the Gutres want to crucify Baltasar?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Borges is an amazingly erudite writer who saturates his stories with his learning, scholarly investigation, and complex philosophical questions. Does he have, at the same time, a sense of humor? How seriously does Borges take himself? Does he poke fun at his own intellectualism? Consider, for instance, "A Survey of the Works of Herbert Quain," where a writer is essentially mad that his play is understood and enjoyed by a wide audience. You can use this story for your essay or choose your own, and you are encouraged to use more than one. Be specific in developing your argument.

Essay Topic 2

Choose a story and analyze the narrative structure. How does the structure propel the action? How does it inform the meaning or themes of the story? "The Shape of the Sword," the story of the traitorous John Vincent Moon, is an excellent example for examining the structure. Feel free to use this story or choose your own. Remember to be as specific as you can.

Essay Topic 3

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?

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