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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 say is the only organism on Mars?

2. What does Roger believe Kreton belongs to?

3. Why is Conrad forced to spend the night?

4. What does Ellen tell the family she and Conrad are doing in Richmond?

5. What power does Kreton have?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain why Kreton's race no longer multiplies.

2. Describe Kreton's appearance.

3. What does Powers see as the biggest problem in war?

4. Why does the fight excite Kreton?

5. Powers has an infatuation with laundry. Describe his conversation with Kreton about the topic.

6. What does Kreton do to try and entice Conrad to join the fight?

7. Kreton makes a comment about why humans are odd when it comes to sex being taboo. Explain his opinion.

8. Kreton tells Conrad that humans are "blood thirsty savages." Do you believe this is true?

9. Why is Ellen upset with Conrad about a goat?

10. In the end of the play, who is (are) the only character(s) who end(s) up being selfless?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Kreton explains that his race is superior to humans, in that they no longer have passion. Discuss your thoughts on his statement. Does Kreton seem superior to you? Why or why not? What benefits do emotions have for humans? Are there any downfalls? What would life be like without passion? Is this an improvement? Why or why not? Be sure to include information from the play in your answers.

Essay Topic 2

Set design is imperative in conveying a specific sense of time and place within any play. Choose one of the following to discuss.

1. Choose one particular room in the set design. Explain all elements of the set, including the props, and explain how those elements are used to describe both the time and the place of the play.

2. Go through each room in the set, and choose one piece in each room that, alone, could convey a sense of time and space. What is the element? How does it function as an indicator of time and space? What else could it represent?

Essay Topic 3

Throughout the novel, Vidal suggests, through Kreton, that mankind is savage, violent, blood thirsty, and always ready for war. Do you think this is true? Why or why not? Based on the characters presented in the novel, do you believe Vidal portrayed his characters to agree or disagree with this notion? Why? Which characters represent an affinity for war, and which represent opposition to war? Why? Is Kreton correct in his assumptions, based on the character's actions, that humans are blood thirsty? Why or why not?

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