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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. Where does death finally find the General?

2. How does Leticia Nazareno respond when the General calls her name?

3. Bendicion's funeral crown is made from which of the following flowers?

4. What happens to Jose Ignacio Saenz de la Barra?

5. What is the only condition the General places on Jose Ignacio Saenz de la Barra?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the circumstances under which the General meets Leticia Nazareno.

2. How does Leticia force the General to marry her?

3. Explain the significance of yellow fever to the General's position as president.

4. How does Jose Ignacio Saenz de la Barra attempt to undermine the General?

5. Why does the General order the Church and its clergy to be expelled from the nation and how is this accomplished?

6. Describe the occurrence the General believes to be a miracle.

7. How are the creditors treated when they arrive at the palace?

8. How does the General learn how to read?

9. How does the General decide to restore the Church to the nation?

10. After the Papal Nuncio decides that the event was not a miracle, what happens to him?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Garcia Marquez has focused his novel entirely on a totalitarian dictator who maintains control over the nation for decades, if not centuries. As such, power is a central theme in the novel. What is Garcia Marquez's commentary on the nature of power, absolute power, and/or political power? How does the interplay of power between the General and various characters factor into this commentary? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

Essay Topic 2

Because the novel spans such a vast period of time, much changes in the course of its plot. As the nation moves forward in history, technology encroaches on the traditional ways of life. Discuss the integration and appearance of technology in the novel. Consider the General's fascination with the gadgets he gives to Manuela Sanchez or the television campaign Jose Ignacio Saenz de la Barra launches against the General. How does technology creep into the novel? What is the overall effect on the work as a whole? Be sure to provide specific evidence to support your argument.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the role of repetition in the novel. This, unlike many other works of fiction, is a novel loaded with motifs and repeated descriptions of events. How does this affect the overall structure of the work? What does this technique contribute to Garcia's overall message in the work. Use specific evidence from the text to support your claims.

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