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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. In what year did Angell learn about the Cthulhu Cult?

2. The witch-people were supposedly from which region?

3. What is the name of the protagonist's good friend?

4. The vile extraterrestrial was rumored to be afraid of which of the following?

5. What is the name of Howard's horse?

Short Essay Questions

1. Discuss the contents of the documents found by Thurston. Describe the strange reaction people have had by coming in contact with the statue.

2. What book is Carnby asked to translate? Why is the book different from the other versions? What passages interest Carnby the most?

3. Who is the main character in The Haunter of the Dark? Where has this character previously appeared? Where does the character go at the beginning of the story?

4. Who is Howard? What is Howard's main goal in the story?

5. Who is the main character in The Call of Cthulhu? What is his relationship to the deceased character? How does the initial discovery occur?

6. The opening quote in the story is written by Justin Geoffrey. Who is Justin Geoffrey and how does he relate to the story?

7. How does Chalmers explain the existence of the Fourth Dimension to Frank?

8. Von Junzt's reference to Dostmann leads the narrator in which direction?

9. What happens to Paul Tregardis when he stares into the crystal?

10. Describe John Carnby. What kind of work does he do? Where does he live? How is the house described?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Several characters throughout the book go insane after having an encounter with a specific object or entity. Examine the insanity of the characters. What makes each character go insane? What is the cause behind the personality shift? Is the person possessed or has he turned into an evil being? Does the person know he is going insane? What is the reaction of the people around the insane character? Is it possible to go insane from an encounter with a horrible entity? Can one be scared into insanity? Is there a treatment or cure? What happens to each character?

Essay Topic 2

"Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos" by H. P. Lovecraft is a collection of horror stories written by Lovecraft, his associates and fans. Discuss the common threads used in the stories. Do you think the similarities are planned or accidental? How is the theme of the Cthulhu continued throughout the book? What influence did Lovecraft have on the genre? Who was the most successful writer in the book aside from Lovecraft?

Essay Topic 3

Several of the texts, including the Necronomicon and De Vermis Mysteriis, are written in Arabic. Some also include Greek and Latin phrases, sections or entire versions. The ones seeking the ancient forbidden texts are often hindered by the inability to read the language. In the case of "The Return of the Sorcerer," John Carnby hires Ogden as a translator for the texts. Discuss the translation. Do you think that Ogden is capable of translating the text in its entirety? How might the texts pose a problem for a translator? What if one or more passages are translated incorrectly? What happens when a translator reads passages aloud? What if the words are taken out of context or have dual meanings? What happens to each character involved in the translation?

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