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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 "Inferno, I, 32," what does God tell Dante in a dream?

2. In "Guayaquil," what do the narrator and Professor Zimmerman compete for?

3. In "The Gospel According to Mark," what does Baltasar do with the Gutres' English Bible?

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

5. In "The Plot," a gaucho's murder is similar to the murder of what famous figure?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does "The Disk" say about greed?

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

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

4. Is there a contradiction to the argument in "Argumentum Ornithologicum"?

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

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

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

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

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

10. In "Unworthy," why does Fischbein, a mild-mannered and bookish man, hang around a gang?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Labyrinths are included in many of Borges' stories. Indeed, "Labyrinths" is the title of one of his collections of stories. How are these physical structures significant to his work? Consider the essence of a labyrinth: a series of mazes, designed to confuse and entrap men. How do labyrinths fit into the stories themselves? How are labyrinths symbolic for Borges' artistic intentions? Be sure to cite specific stories in your answer.

Essay Topic 2

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 3

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.

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