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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. Why does Eduviges feel she must take care of Juan?

2. What makes Ana believe it is Miguel Páramo who rapes her?

3. Who does don Pedro owe the most money to?

4. Who tells Juan where to stay while in Comala?

5. What is in the room Juan sleeps in during his first night in Comala?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the two men who Juan hears in the street discussing?

2. What is Dorotea's second dream?

3. What does the woman tell Juan about the roads leaving from Comala?

4. Explain Miguel Paramo's fate.

5. Why is Father Rentería conflicted after Miguel's death?

6. What does Juan Preciado hope to accomplish by finding his father?

7. Describe the memory Pedro has of Susana as he sits in the privy.

8. Why are the two women that Juan encounters in the street worried?

9. How does Fulgor get Dolores to agree to marry Pedro?

10. Describe the road to Comala.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Susana's character is revealed to the reader almost entirely through her memories and delusions as heard from her grave. Give examples of the ways in which she is revealed to be losing her mind. Do you think her madness is a protective mechanism against the forces around her or an escape from them? How does Susana's behavior affect those around her, including Father Rentería, Justina, and Pedro? Do you think that Susana is a sympathetic character? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Juan's descent into Comala is like an ascension into hell. Later the reader learns that Comala's dead remain in the town as a purgatory. Select three of the following characters and explain why their ghosts are stuck in Comala:

- Dorotea

- Eduviges

- Susana

- Juan

- Abundio

Address how each of their stories help the reader learn more about Pedro and his life.

Essay Topic 3

Explain why you think "Pedro Páramo" is an example of Magical Realism. Using specific examples of the text, address the following themes:

- Use of the supernatural

- Realistic aspects

- Extraordinary occurring at the same time as the ordinary

Explain why you think Rulfo uses this style to tell his story. What does the Magical Realism genre allow him to do as an author?

(see the answer keys)

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