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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 event caused the breakup of Wilson's marriage to Mary McCarthy?

2. Why did Waugh dislike his contemporary, Cyril Connolly?

3. What was the name of the intellectual who Johnson claimed attempted to legitimize personal violence?

4. What was the name of Connolly's wife?

5. How did Brecht die?

Short Essay Questions

1. After Wilson's visit to Russia, what were his impressions of the country and people on his return home?

2. Why did Bertrand Russell write so much?

3. What type of relationships did Gollancz have with people from the working class?

4. Describe Orwell's appearance.

5. How does Johnson describe Wilson's writings?

6. What type of relationship did Wilson have with other writers?

7. Why did Gollancz prefer to hire female employees?

8. Describe the uniform Brecht devised for himself in developing of his persona.

9. Why did Russell like Mathematics?

10. How did Sartre feel towards America?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A recurrent theme in Intellectuals is the idea of egotism and vanity and how it motivated several intellectuals and affected their self-awareness. Discuss how Johnson draw attention to this theme through individual intellectuals.

Essay Topic 2

Johnson claims that Karl Marx's theories had more impact on people than any other intellectual. Discuss why this is and whether or not you agree with Johnson's conclusion.

Essay Topic 3

What is Paul Johnson's writing style? Discuss both the mechanical aspect of his writing and his "voice" throughout the book. Make sure and discuss what literary tools and devices he relies on most and what specific parts of the text reflect his voice?

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