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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. Who is Hallaj?

2. In the poems about an unlikely friendship between two different animals, one of them being a frog, these two animals have very different what?

3. What was salient and peculiar about Rumi's father?

4. When speaking to the camel in the story in Book 1, Chapter 3, the mouse admits that it is what?

5. What is the "animal soul" that Rumi writes about?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who were Rumi's three best friends, and how did he regard each?

2. Describe the "short story" model Rumi uses for many of his poems.

3. How is Coleman Barks associated with Rumi?

4. In what ways does God appear in Rumi's poetry?

5. How would one describe the tavern poems?

6. Summarize the poem about a man getting a tattoo. What message is delivered through this poem?

7. Describe Husam Chelebi's role as scribe.

8. What does the poem about a mouse and a camel convey about friendship and honesty?

9. What makes Rumi's poems emotionally well integrated?

10. How would you describe Rumi's writing style?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Rumi was a poet who wore many different hats. Analyze Rumi's role as:

1. Religious leader.

2. Political leader.

3. Peacekeeper.

Essay Topic 2

Ayaz is a character that appears repeatedly throughout many of Rumi's poems. How does Ayaz evolve through Rumi's writings? In what ways is Ayaz similar to Rumi? To Rumi's friends? How does Rumi use Ayaz to explain to the reader some of his own life experiences?

Essay Topic 3

Explain how the poem about a prisoner who is helped by the Friend illuminates lessons on the following:

1. The power of prayer.

2. Trusting a dear friend.

3. Reading between the lines.

4. Finding the hidden messages in a situation.

(see the answer keys)

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