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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 is astonishing about eternal values?

2. Which art and science have close affinity?

3. What information do we have about Sisyphus in the underworld?

4. What has Camus to say about 'great revolutions'?

5. Identify the literary device Camus uses in: 'Even men without a gospel have their Mount of Olives'.

Short Essay Questions

1. What were Sisyphus's sins against the gods, for which he was punished?

2. What, for humanity, are the consequences of living in a world stripped of illusion?

3. According to the quotation from Nietzsche, what vital function is performed by art?

4. What two views of Sisyphus are mentioned by Camus?

5. How did Sisyphus attempt to test his wife's love?

6. Why does Camus claim that there can be no experience of death?

7. According to Camus, what must we take into consideration when reading the works of Franz Kafka?

8. What is absurd man and how can he deal with his predicament?

9. In mentioning the Diary (p. 100 of the Penguin edition), to what does Camus draw attention?

10. What important feature of Dostoevsky's work does Camus explore in the section entitled 'Kirilov'?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is your attitude to Camus' definition of the absurd? Do you think his argument is valid? What is your opinion of the examples he gives? Would you be likely to argue from a different point of view? Why or why not? Call your essay 'My response th the absurd'.

Essay Topic 2

'Camus' use of Franz Kafka's work is particularly apt when we consider the idea of the absurd world.' Discuss the way Camus cites Kafka in the course of his exposition on the absurd. You will need to relate characters and incidents to ideas expressed by Camus. You will also need to consider implications of those ideas. It is important, too, to include any necessary critique of the way Camus has referred to Kafka's work.

Essay Topic 3

Camus' work has within it much that is lyrical in its description of place. Choose a short passage from either his essay on Algiers, Oran or Tipasa and analyse its literary qualities. You will need to comment on word choice, sentence structure, use of imagery and symbolism in the passage. Look also for scenic and emotional contrasts.

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