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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 Johor incarnate on Shikasta?

2. In Chapter 12, what is Johor unable to do?

3. Generally speaking, what is the most important rule of Canopus?

4. What happens to individual eight that makes her so unhappy?

5. What do some Canopeans believe should be done with Shikasta?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who was the first individual introduced in Chapter 11, and what would John Brent-Oxford have done for her as a lawyer?

2. What is the Canopean view of the 20th century?

3. What is said about religion in Chapter 10?

4. Who is Johor, and what is his job?

5. What happens to the Giants when Shikasta is cut off from the Lock?

6. How are the shells of Shikasta organized?

7. What is the main Canopean ideology?

8. What comments does Johor make about the white races in Chapter 13?

9. How is Shikasta described at the beginning of the novel?

10. What is the "Age of Ideology"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The novel establishes an innovative concept of life after death. What happens to people when they die on Shikasta? Is this the same system that exists on other planets? Why or why not? How is Johor able to communicate with souls waiting to reincarnate? Why? How do the souls in Zone Six feel about their situation, and why? Be sure to cite specific examples from the book to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 2

The description of the British in this novel is very negative. Why are they portrayed in such a derogatory fashion? What do they do wrong? How do they interact with citizens of other places? What can we infer about the author's attitude toward the British people, based on the manner in which they are described in the novel? Be sure to cite specific examples from the book to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 3

The Shammat are a powerful force that goes against the Canopean government. Why are the Shammat so antagonistic? What do they want from Shikasta? What are their goals? Why do they end up being corrupted by the SOWF they drain from Shikasta? What do they do to the other planets they oversee? What are their relationships with other races like, and why? Be sure to cite specific examples from the book to support your thesis.

(see the answer keys)

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