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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Chesterton say is a danger when analyzing mythologies?
(a) That they may seem to be understood.
(b) That it is a futile pursuit because they are meaningless.
(c) That it would be too easy to get lost in the subtleties.
(d) None of these.

2. What reason does Chesterton give for acts of cannibalism?
(a) The lack of a true creed and religion.
(b) The people are doing the worst thing they can imagine.
(c) It is practical for those without the morality to know it is an abomination.
(d) The people believe the power of life is transferable.

3. What does Chesterton say is the main fault with comparing religions?
(a) Confucianism is not a religion.
(b) They do not resemble each other.
(c) False classification masks the uniqueness of the church.
(d) All of these.

4. Which of the following does Chesterton say of myths?
(a) They do not provide mankind with a creed.
(b) All of these.
(c) They meet some of the needs of a religion.
(d) They are not a religion.

5. To what description of the life of the cave-man does Chesterton especially object?
(a) Their proximity to apes.
(b) The suggested violence of men to women.
(c) All of these.
(d) Their pagan worship.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Chesterton wish to view and discuss the earth?

2. What does Chesterton think seeing mankind correctly will accomplish?

3. What connection does Chesterton make between the boy and the cave-man?

4. According to Chesterton, what do mythologies have the power to do?

5. In Part I, Chapter VII, what new thing does Chesterton say we need?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Chesterton describe the religious experience of the Carthaginians?

2. How sincere does Chesterton say myths are? Explain your answer.

3. How does Chesterton refute the idea that religion came from people's experiences with authority, dreams, and the cycles of life?

4. What concept regarding civilization and barbarism throughout history does Chesterton refute? What does he say?

5. According to Chesterton, how accurate is H. G. Wells's concept of the "Old Man"?

6. What is Chesterton's analysis of symbols such as the circle, the swastika, and the cross?

7. In the chapter titled "The War of the Gods and Demons", who are the Gods and who are the Demons? Why does Chesterton label them as such?

8. What parallel does Chesterton make between social structure and cannibalism? Explain.

9. In the beginning of the introduction, Chesterton uses an analogy of a boy leaving his farmland home and looking back on his homeland as he does so. What is he trying to explain or make clear with this analogy?

10. What explanation does Chesterton give for the common themes running through world mythologies?

(see the answer keys)

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