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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. Of what is The Odyssey a parable according to Boorstin?

2. How does Boorstin say Muslims see creativity?

3. What does Boorstin say Moses introduced into Western culture?

4. What does Horace say about the escaped word in the epigraph for Part 5?

5. What did St. Augustine give men in City of God?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Boorstin characterize the Gothic style of art?

2. What contribution did the Egyptians make to writing and self-expression?

3. What innovation do the Homeric epics represent in the culture of the imagination?

4. What was St. Augustine's contribution to imaginative culture according to Boorstin?

5. What does Boorstin mean when he says that theology was born in Greek philosophy?

6. How does Boorstin describe the Hindu contribution to imaginative culture?

7. How do Muslims differ from Greeks and Christians in their approach to making images?

8. What does Boorstin say is the importance of megaliths?

9. What contribution does Boorstin say Boethius made to imaginative culture?

10. How does Boorstin characterize Shakespeare's role in the development of imaginative works?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How do the differences between men and women figure in Boorstin's book? What kind of creativity, and what forms are appropriate to each? What are the essential differences according to Boorstin? What underlying symmetries or similarities are there?

Essay Topic 2

Who is the hero of The Creators? Is there one person or figure who emerges? How does Boorstin distribute the focus among so many artists without dissipating the effect of his work? What characteristic work or decision defines the hero in The Creators?

Essay Topic 3

Write a character sketch of the author based on his style and content. What values does he hold dear? What are his hopes and fears? What kind of person do you think he is? Anchor your sketch in passages in the book.

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