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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. Which of the following best describes the theme of "Mutations"?

2. In "The Bribe," what does Dr. Winthrop have to do?

3. In "Legend," what does Abel do to Cain?

4. In "Blue Tigers," what are the Blue Tigers?

5. In "Avelino Arredondo," whom does Avelino murder?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "A Weary Man's Utopia," is the society described by the old man really a "utopia"?

2. In "The Other," how does the elder Borges most successfully prove to the younger Borges that he is not dreaming their encounter?

3. In "The Yellow Rose," what is Marino's epiphany?

4. What is the message about scientific precision in "Museum- On Exactitude in Science"?

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

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

7. In "Everything and Nothing," who ultimately tells Shakespeare he is like him, and why does he say this?

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In "The Circular Ruins," a man dreams a son into existence. At the end of the story, the man discovers that he was likewise the creation of someone's dream. How does this story reflect Idealist philosophy, where reality is based on thought and the mind? What does the story say about Borges' view toward his own literary creations? Does it suggest a possibility about all of our lives? Note and explain at least one other story, in addition to "The Circular Ruins," that also reflects Idealist philosophy.

Essay Topic 2

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.

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.

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