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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 do the four allies do when they reunite after getting away from the bunker?

2. What does the narrator say corrupted the vision of the United States?

3. What type of thought does the narrator attribute to the Far East?

4. What does the narrator say about the tension between Webber and Maya?

5. What people does the narrator say espoused the idea of one God first?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the narrator say he realized about humans born into the world?

2. What did the narrator see begin to emerge that changed the way humans interacted with the world?

3. What does the group do after Charlene explains why she is in the valley?

4. Into what is the narrator drawn in hell and what does he see?

5. What happens when the Group decide to try and end the Experiment by combining their energies?

6. What does Wil say about the scenarios the narrator saw?

7. Who is in the cave when Webber and the narrator arrive there and what does she/he say?

8. What does Wil say is their task concerning the Group of Seven?

9. What does Webber tell the narrator about Charlene?

10. What do Wil and the narrator see when they experience Feyman's Life Review?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

If a story can be likened to a jigsaw puzzle, the construction of a narrative telling that story can be likened to the careful placement of pieces of that puzzle in order to slowly, tantalizingly, and inevitably fill the reader with the desire to see the whole picture. In that sense, the telling of this particular story functions well, with details of meaning, incident, and relationship complimenting and illuminating each other with highly intriguing results.

1. What do you think the first sentence above means? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

2. In view of all the novels you have read or heard about or movies you have seen, explain why leaving readers with a "what happens next" question is universal. Use examples from this book and other books you have read to illustrate this principle and why it is used.

3. Do you believe the second sentence is true? Why or why not? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

It's becoming clearer with each passing chapter that, without actually coming out and saying so, perspective is anchored in the concept of destiny - that each individual comes into this existence with a pre-ordained place, purpose and plan. It's also becoming clearer that while the narrative clearly makes the point that that plan doesn't always come to fruition, it also implies that such failure is the result of inability (for whatever reason) to make the choices for the plan to be accomplished ... in other words, because of free will.

1. What do you think the definition of destiny is and why do you think the author is supporting that concept in this book? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

2. Assuming that destiny is true, and that having a vision of what one is to accomplish in life before being born is true but forgotten with birth, explain with examples, why often the purpose of an individual does not come to fruition.

3. Most religions espouse the idea of free will. Those who have no spiritual beliefs would probably agree. Explain the concept of free will, why it might be a law of life and how it seems to manifest in the real world. Use examples to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

There is a development of what might be called a parallel narrative or subplot - the deepening of the mystery of what happened during that past encounter between Natives and Whites. This subplot functions as all subplots do - to illuminate and define events and/or circumstances in the main narrative, albeit perhaps with more thematic and/or spiritual relevance than most subplots.

1. Explain what you think the above statements mean. Use examples from the text to support your answer.

2. Do you think the subplot was essential to the book? Why or why not? What did the subplot add?

3. Explain, in depth, what you learned about the characters from the subplot.

4. Do you believe the author has suggested the characters' personalities and behaviors are essentially static from lifetime to lifetime? Why or why not? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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