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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 Roger report he needs to leave the house?

2. What power does Kreton have?

3. What does Conrad note Ellen can do at the same time as making love?

4. What does Kreton put around the ship?

5. In what year was Kreton expecting to land?

Short Essay Questions

1. Does Kreton seem to understand the intricate details of human relationships?

2. Aside from the politics of war, what does Powers complain will suffer as a result of this war?

3. What does Powers tell Roger about the reality of the UFO, and why does he threaten to indict Roger under the Revised Espionage Act?

4. What does Kreton's statement about the food Ellen brings indicate about his position on eating meat?

5. What are the reasons Ellen claims she cannot marry Conrad?

6. What is Kreton's response to the question of whether his people are there to establish trade? Communications?

7. Explain where Kreton lives.

8. Explain why Roger is upset about Powers' revelations on the UFO, and what he tries to do about it.

9. Describe what Conrad says occurred during the night with Roger.

10. What reasons does Kreton give for not explaining where his planet is, and what does he admit his species does not do, as part of the conversation?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the play, Kreton is treated by the government as property, and told he is to function as a weapon. However, Kreton admits he is a mammal, for all intensive purposes, and it is clear he is a living, thinking individual.

Part 1. Discuss how Kreton's ability to limit his emotions could help him function as a weapon of the United States. Conversely, without emotion, discuss how Kreton could function against his purpose as a weapon. Be sure to use elements of Kreton's personality as presented in the play in your answer.

Part 2. Do you think the use of a living, thinking mammal as a possession and a weapon is a moral thing to do? Why or why not? Be sure to include elements of the play in your answer.

Essay Topic 2

The government of the United States, and the people in the Spelding household, are shown to be extremely suspicious of anything out of the ordinary. Kreton, later in the novel, notes that humans are suspicious by nature. Do you think this is true? Why or why not? When something occurs out of the ordinary, or when we, as humans, meet new people, do we assume they are friendly, or unfriendly? Why is this? What was Vidal trying to say about human nature?

Essay Topic 3

The role of women in "modern" society is another theme that runs throughout the novel. Reba and Ellen play two drastically different characters in the play, and Vidal seems to be representing two sides of the same coin with their behaviors. Compare and contrast the roles of Ellen and Reba to discover their representation of women in the novel. What are their reactions to things? Why do they react the way they do? What does this say about their representation of women? Do their behaviors change? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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