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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. What does Snow tell Kelvin when Kelvin regains consciousness after he finds Rheya missing?

2. Why is Kelvin uncertain about participating in Sartorius' experiment?

3. What does Snow give to Kelvin?

4. Who is the second person Kelvin thinks of during the brainwave recording?

5. What character trait does Kelvin say Rheya's suicide attempt shows?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Gravinsk's Compendium commonly used for?

2. How does Snow describe Rheya's final moments?

3. Describe a mimoid.

4. Why doesn't Kelvin want to open a communications channel to the shuttle he launched?

5. Describe Sartorius' speech to Kelvin before the experiment.

6. Why doesn't Kelvin share his doubts about the upcoming experiment with Rheya?

7. What formation does Kelvin see as the ship travels to the polar region of Solaris?

8. What does Rheya say in her suicide note?

9. What reason does Kelvin give for wanting to go off the station?

10. What book does Kelvin read in the library?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Kelvin has complex emotions about the original Rheya, and these emotions are further complicated by the appearance of a new, duplicate Rheya. Kelvin first destroys one Rheya in a panic, and then wants to save the next. What does Kelvin really want? Discuss Kelvin's ambivalent feelings toward Rheya.

1) How do Kelvin's feelings of guilt and love for the first Rheya affect his attitude to the duplicate Rheyas?

2) Is it possible for Kelvin to distinguish his feelings for the Rheya of Solaris from his feelings for and memories of the original Rheya?

3) On a fundamental level, does Kelvin want Rheya to be there, or does he not want her to be there?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss objective and subjective reality in the novel.

1) How do the characters determine what objective reality is? How do the characters know the nature of Solaris' ocean and the reality of the visitors?

2) Kelvin devises a test to make sure that he's not mad. How good is his test at determining the objective reality? Is it possible for Kelvin to be sure he's detecting an objective truth outside of the subjective experience of his mind?

3) Rheya is created from the subjective memories of Kelvin's mind, not an objective image of the original Rheya. How does this affect Rheya's personality and development?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Andre Berton's experiences on Solaris.

1) What are the meanings and implications of what Andre Berton saw? What do they tell us about Solaris' oceans?

2) How are Andre Berton's experiences related to the experiences of the scientists on the research station? Compare and contrast those experiences.

3) Why did the panel disbelieve and suppress Berton's reports of the instance on Solaris? What does this say about the failures of science?

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