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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 assert is more important than cultivating one's mind?

2. What is everyone born with a penchant for according to the author?

3. About what emperor does the author go on at length?

4. What does the author say an aesthetic representation requires?

5. Why do the author's two Englishmen travel to Arabia?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the relationship between the ethical and the aesthetic?

2. How does the author describe his depression?

3. What does the author assert is the mystic's error?

4. What does the author say to despotic husbands who utterly dominate their wives?

5. Are any Either/Or choices absolute? Explain.

6. How does the author define philosophy and what does he appreciate about it?

7. What does the author say is more important than choosing the right thing?

8. What does the author say is the proper attitude for a married man in a time of material need?

9. What are the advantages of the ethical theory of talent as opposed to the aesthetic theory of talent?

10. What does the author say the young man proposes is the definition of a hero? What does the author encourage the young man to suppose instead?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

Essay Topic 2

Much of EITHER/OR takes the form of a letter written from an older man to a younger man. How does Kierkegaard use this format to accomplish his goals with the book? How might the message of the book feel different if it took another form? Discuss citing specific examples from the text.

Essay Topic 3

What is the attitude of the author of the letter towards marriage? What does the author see as the principle purpose of marriage? What mental attitudes does the author indicate work against marriage? How may these be overcome? Discuss citing specific examples from the text.

(see the answer keys)

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