View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the name of the god of the temple in "The Circular Ruins"?

2. In "The Approach to Al-Mu'tasim," which two groups are involved in a conflict?

3. Who is the narrator in "An Examination of the Work of Herbert Quain"?

4. In "Tlon, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius", from what source does one of the men quote?

5. Which room do the Purifiers seek?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "The Circular Ruins," what revelation does the protagonist have about his own identity?

2. How is the universe described in "The Library of Babel"?

3. How does the Babylon lottery cause an uprising?

4. What opinion does the narrator of "Pierre Menard, Author of Don Quixote" have of Menard's work?

5. Why do some players of the Babylon lottery end up in jail?

6. According to the narrator, what is the most important theme of "The Approach of Al-Mu'tasim"?

7. In "The Circular Ruins," what fear does the protagonist have for his son?

8. What causes some people in the library of Babel to go insane?

9. Describe the satire present in "An Examination of the Work of Herbert Quain."

10. How does Dr. Yu Tsun arrive at Stephen Albert's house?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare Borges' style of writing with the genre of hypertext fiction. How is "Ficciones" a precursor to hypertext fiction? What are the "forking paths" in "Garden of the Forking Paths"? What does Borges mean when he asks his readers to "become aware of all the possible choices we might make"?

Essay Topic 2

How does Borges use the theme of betrayal in his work? According to Borges, what are the long- and short-term effects of betrayal? What lesson does Borges teach about betrayal through "The Form of the Sword"?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Borges' view of redemption. Who is Al-Mu'tasim? What is the significance of the student's journey? How does the student find redemption?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,225 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample