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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 Sect of Thirty," the sect worships which Biblical figure?

2. In "The Bribe," what does Professor Einarrson write?

3. In "Parable of the Palace," why does the Emperor execute the poet?

4. To whom is "There are More Things" dedicated?

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

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

5. In "The Plot," a gaucho dies in a similar fashion to Julius Caesar. What does this suggest about history?

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

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

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

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

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

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 concept of forbidden knowledge in Borges' stories. Are there certain things man should not know? Is it dangerous to try to play the Divine? Think of stories such as "The Writing of the God," "A Theologian in Death," "The Chamber of Statues," and "The Mirror of Ink." Choose at least one of these stories, and up to three in supporting your essay.

Essay Topic 3

In "The Library of Babel," a librarian frantically and hopelessly tries to organize the books in a seemingly infinite library and looks for a book that will summarize all the others. Is this story merely a work of imaginative fiction, or a possible metaphor for the actual world? What is Borges implying about the nature of human knowledge? Make sure to discuss "The Library of Babel," but also include at least one more story that touches on this common theme of Borges. Be specific.

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