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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. What does Don Jaime think the artifacts in his fencing gallery are symbols of?

2. Why does Don Jaime refuse to train Adela?

3. What does Carceles use to support his views?

4. Why is Don Jaime troubled by thoughts of Dona Adela?

5. What does Don Jaime think Don Adela has no interest in?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Luis de Ayala.

2. Why isn't the Marquis at his best?

3. Why is Don Jaime struggling with what he calls the Holy Grail?

4. What information does Don Jaime give Dona Adela about his life in fencing?

5. How did Don Jaime become a fencing master?

6. Why does Don Jaime think martial war has been declared?

7. What is masculine about Adela Otero?

8. Why does Don Luis say he admires Don Jaime?

9. How does Don Jaime anger Dona Adela during the first bout?

10. What do the Cafe Progresso members think about the prospect of civil war?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose one of the following and discuss how it affects the tone of the book and helps to express character and theme.

1. Setting

2. Point of view

3. Structure

4. Language

Essay Topic 2

Away from the main character, examine the way the author uses the other characters in the book. When does he introduce and take them away from the story? What effect does it have on the story?

Essay Topic 3

What difference does it make to the ideas that the author is trying to convey that he sets the story in the 1860s rather than contemporary society? What do you think his reason was for doing this? Could he convey the same point just as effectively within a contemporary setting?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 854 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample