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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. One interpretation of the laws in the Old Testament, which Kristeva cites, says they are the arbitrary will of who?

2. A theme Kristeva points out in Chapter 3 is that what is inside the margin is good, and whatever is outside of the margin is what?

3. The author says the traditional Freudian model of the Oedipal triangle is what?

4. Kristeva compares the abject to the experience of looking at a corpse and seeing what?

5. Kristeva says a significant part of maturation for a boy is a distancing from what?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Kristeva say Christianity and Judaism differ in the thoughts of impurity?

2. What example does Kristeva give phobias which involves beautiful women?

3. What does Kristeva say about how the New Testament contradicts the traditional Christian thoughts about the origin of sin?

4. How does Kristeva say the Freudian model of the Oedipal triangle flawed?

5. What does Kristeva say are the two prevailing interpretations of the laws regarding ritual impurity in the Old Testament?

6. How does Kristeva say Christianity uses separation and division?

7. What does it mean when Kristeva says she gives a "phenomenological" account of the abject?

8. According to traditional beliefs in Christianity, how does Adam's original sin taint human freedoms?

9. Why does Kristeva say man gained permission to eat some animals?

10. According to class theory, how are the drives of an individual divided?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explore the theme of language throughout the book. What does Kristeva seem to think about language and how it can be used? What reason does Kristeva give for why the abject exists outside of language? How can people relate to the abject if not through language? What do you think is the purpose of trying to explain the abject through an essay if it can cannot be felt through words?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the notions of separateness in Jewish ideologies and laws. How did other ancient religions view god? Why does Kristeva say that the notion of uniqueness is what inspires Jewish law? Why, according to Kristeva, do Jews value their uniqueness? In what way do the Jewish laws portray separation? How does this relate to the Jewish views on impurity?

Essay Topic 3

Why do you think Kristeva set out on this journey to explain and even further understand the abject herself? If the abject is not expressible through language, what would be the purpose of trying to explain it in words, the way Kristeva has? What does she say the purpose of understanding and even confronting the abject is? How effective do you think Kristeva was at explaining the abject? Explain your answer with examples from the text.

(see the answer keys)

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