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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. What does the author say he hates?

2. What aspect of love does the author say is momentary?

3. How does the author say the young man may best perceive the state that precedes first love?

4. In what form is EITHER/OR written?

5. The author asserts that it might seem proper for marital love to begin with a kind of what?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the author assert is the principle reason for marrying?

2. How does the author relate religion to swimming?

3. Why does the author say that first love is found more frequently in women than men?

4. In what kind of moment does the author write he hopes his letter finds the young man, and why?

5. What is significant about the author's reference to the biblical story of King David and the prophet Nathan?

6. Why are erotic love and marriage irreconcilable according to the author?

7. How does the author define and marriage of convenience?

8. What does the author say to the suggestion that the wedding ceremony "halts lovers"?

9. What does the author write about his feelings of devotion for his wife?

10. Describe what the author writes are the necessary inward conditions for marriage?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author writes of a folktale concerning Roland's three squires. Recount the tale and discuss its relationship to the concept of Either/Or citing specific examples from the text.

Essay Topic 2

Both the author of the letter and the letter's recipient are men. Discuss the influence of gender in EITHER/OR. How might the letter be different if it were written by or to a woman? Why do you think both of the characters are men? Discuss citing specific examples.

Essay Topic 3

How does the author define "the ethical"? How does the author define "the esthetic"? How does the author propose the esthetic and the ethical should be balanced in human life? Defend or refute these assertions citing specific examples from the text to support your position.

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