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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. How is the world divided according to the grand inquisitor?

2. Why does the grand inquisitor say men have fought and killed?

3. How does the church create a unified body of worship?

4. What mystery does Ivan say is guarded?

5. What is the third thing Jesus is tempted with?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the grand inquisitor add to the first question when he restates it to the prisoner?

2. What was the third temptation of Jesus by the spirit in the wilderness?

3. What does Alyosha agree about Ivan's story?

4. Why does the grand inquisitor think people will follow the church?

5. Why does the grand inquisitor say the freedom Jesus gives people is cruel?

6. How does the grand inquisitor predict man will feel about his loss of freedom?

7. According to the grand inquisitor, what would have happened if Jesus had changed the stones into bread?

8. What does the grand inquisitor think man's rebellious nature will lead to?

9. Why does Ivan say Catholics don't like Masons?

10. How does the grand inquisitor justify lying to people about Jesus and religion?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What does Alyosha think about the grand inquisitor's behavior? Why might he be confused about it? What does it mean when he asks if the story is fantasy? Why does Ivan say it doesn't matter if the grand inquisitor had mistaken Jesus' Identity.?

Essay Topic 2

Why does Alyosha disbelieve the grand inquisitor's character? What does Alyosha believe about the church? What do Alyosha's reactions to Ivan's story reveal about him? When the brother's part what is Alyosha thinking or feeling?

Essay Topic 3

What is the view on religion and history expressed by Ivan in his literary preface? What historical events does he reference? What religious ideas does he take for granted as he describes the progress of Christian thought? How does he describe this progress?

(see the answer keys)

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