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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 did society accept work from Jean Rhys that had previously been rejected?

2. What are two entities which perpetuate brainwashing?

3. What surprised people who took part in the Milgram experiment?

4. According to Lessing, governments become dangerous without ___________.

5. What would Lessing like schools or governments to teach?

Short Essay Questions

1. Are all aspects of brainwashing intentional?

2. What type of wars did Lessing live through?

3. When confronted with a group opinion, why is it often difficult to maintain an opposing, individual opinion?

4. Why would a government or sect of any sort want to control its subjects through brainwashing?

5. Why did Lessing believe that insane people are the only ones safe against brainwashing?

6. Why do people often conform to groups?

7. Lessing stated that people in democratic societies are often fooling themselves on their level of freedom. Why?

8. What relationship does communism have with the individual?

9. What was the Milgram experiment?

10. What is the price an individual might pay if he resists the group mentality?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The idea of democracy has been around for years. Lessing believed that, with time and the support of free thinkers, it will continue to grow and develop.

1) What is democracy and who started it?

2) What are some challenges it has faced?

3) Where does Lessing see it going in the future?

Essay Topic 2

Lessing believed that the human race would be stronger and better if it could only learn from its past. Why do humans choose to ignore history, with the effect of repeating lessons that should have already been learned?

1) In what ways do humans have the ability to learn from history?

2) What are some examples in history that humans should learn from?

3) Why do humans often end up repeating mistakes already made in the past?

Essay Topic 3

According to Lessing, what is the role of novelists in a society?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 601 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample