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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. According to Chesterton, at the beginning of Chapter Two, what happens to the men who believe in themselves?

2. In Chapter III, The Suicide of Thought, what is the problem with modern philosophers?

3. How does H. G. Wells perceive categories of things?

4. According to Chesterton, what symbol explains to way that mysticism clarifies the world?

5. According to Chesterton, what keeps a man sane?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Chesterton say is the spirit of the law in fairy land? Why is this not inconsistent?

2. "But it is a much more massive and important fact that he [the materialist] is not free to raise, to curse, the thank, to justify, to urge, the punish, to resist temptation, to incite mobs, to make New Year resolutions, to pardon sinners, to rebuke tyrants, or even to say 'thank you' for the mustard" (Chesterton 2000, pg 185). What is the context for this statement? Does it logically follow from Chesterton's argument?

3. Considering the fact that elf land is more rational than the scientific world is, why does Chesterton say that magic flourishes in elf land?

4. In Chapter IV, The Ethics of Elfland, what does Chesterton give as the first two principles of democracy? How does he convey a sense of wonder even in these principles?

5. Chesterton assumes that he and his reader will share the common ground of agreeing that an interesting, active life is preferable to simple existence. Is this a fair starting point? Why or why not?

6. The author says people can justly call him a fool because he is a fool. What does this reveal about the man himself? How does this set up expectations for the rest of the book?

7. Chapter II, The Maniac, begins with the idea that man believing in himself is a weakness. Chesterton asserts this in the face of modern thinking, which says believing in oneself is the strongest way to live. What reasons does Chesterton give for asserting this statement?

8. In Chapter I, Introduction in Defense of Everything Else, Chesterton states that the book is written from his own experiences rather than as the result of research and labor. What expectations does this set up or destroy for the reader?

9. According to Chesterton, the complete skeptic knows that he cannot think anything. How does this differ from the young skeptic? How does the complete skeptic show a true awareness of where he is?

10. In Chapter III, The Suicide of Thought, what is Chesterton's opinion of the skeptic? Why does the skeptic not have the right to speak out against anything? Why, contrarily, is he always speaking out against things?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What comfort does Chesterton find in the thought that God hides his mirth from man? How does that picture speak to God's greatness? How does it reinforce the idea that man is full of joy? Draw your arguments from Chesterton's statements about God's character which are given throughout Orthodoxy.

Essay Topic 2

"For the orthodox there can always be a revolution, for a revolution is restoration." (Chesterton 2000, pg. 264) How is this true? How does this suit or shatter the common understanding of revolution?

Essay Topic 3

What are the differences between man and animal? Why does Chesterton assert these differences? How does his conclusion differ from those of the pagan thinkers?

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