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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 show does the protagonist note the Kid discusses?

2. With which of the following does V end?

3. Which of the following does the protagonist note meeting at IHES?

4. What is the interlocutor’s daughter’s name?

5. Which descriptor does the protagonist posit has been applied to her?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does the protagonist indicate people prefer the idea of fate to the idea of chance?

2. What does the protagonist note is commonly the most interesting thing about philosophers?

3. What reason does the protagonist give for not pursuing many romantic relationships?

4. How does the protagonist report initially attempting to distract herself from her hallucinations?

5. What value does the protagonist note accrues in not writing down ideas?

6. Per the novel, what is a prestige?

7. What “old saw in racing” does the protagonist report (165-66)?

8. What is the subject of the paper the protagonist sent Grothendieck in advance of arriving at IHES (136)?

9. What does the protagonist cite as her chief gripe with mental health professionals?

10. What hope in solving topological problems does the protagonist note?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The protagonist remarks that “intelligence is numbers. It’s not words. Words are things we’ve made up. Mathematics is not” (19). Does the novel bear out her remarks? How or how not?

Essay Topic 2

Consider the ending of the novel. Does it satisfy? How or how not?

Essay Topic 3

Consider adapting Stella Maris into another medium. What medium would be most appropriate for the novel’s adaptation? What in the novel and what qualities of the medium suggest that appropriateness? How do they do so?

(see the answer keys)

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