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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 is the name of the island?

2. What is the name of the writer with whom Casares developed a close friendship?

3. Who directs Last Year at Marienbad?

4. What are the Spanish poets and intellectuals fleeing in the 30s?

5. What kind of poetry does Bioy favor?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Morel say is different about the photograph he has taken of those present?

2. What is the main theme of many of Casares' works?

3. Why does Morel choose Villings island for his experiments?

4. What is Borges' opinion on the psychological novel?

5. What does the narrator theorize about Morel?

6. What is the narrator's final plea before he dies?

7. Why is the narrator cautious about meeting the real Faustine?

8. Why does the narrator think he should expose Morel's machine to the whole world?

9. How did Casares' mother influence his storytelling style?

10. How does the narrator escape the basement?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does solitude affect the narrator and his mind? How do you think one could fight the problems caused by solitude in such a situation?

Essay Topic 2

How does the story change when Morel is introduced? In what way does Morel cause the story's conflict?

Essay Topic 3

Why does the woman on the island have such an affect on the narrator? What do his feelings for her say about Casares' own thoughts on love?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 652 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample