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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 question does Augustine ask?

2. What does Simplicianus say Victorinus has to do?

3. What is non-existent except when it is the present?

4. Why does Augustine believe it is not the motion of the heavenly bodies that determines the length of a day?

5. What is one definition of evil?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Augustine decide to do at the beginning of Book IX? How does he do it?

2. What is the story Augustine hears from Ponticianus and what does the story do to Augustine?

3. What does Augustine say about his mother's upbringing and some of her behaviors as a married woman?

4. What does Augustine decide to do by the end of Book VII and how does his mother feel about his decision?

5. What does Augustine think about the Manicheans and why is he angry at them?

6. Who is Victorinus and what has he done in his life?

7. Discuss the idea Augustine had about the beginning of all and on time.

8. What does Augustine say about writing his confession?

9. Augustine says why people hate the truth. What does he say about the truth?

10. Explain why Augustine rejects astrology.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In Book V, Monica has an irrational urge to keep Augustine with her and not let him go to Rome. This incident symbolizes the struggle that all human beings have to control their fleshly desires in favor of their love of God. Discuss the following ideas:

1. For Augustine, is spirituality incompatible with physical life/pleasure (e.g., eating, sex, art, etc.)? Does his ideas about this change over the course of the Confessions?

2. Why do you think Augustine would say that physical life exists if it is incompatible with spirituality?

3. According to Augustine, can someone be highly spiritual and still "indulge" in the pleasures of physical life? What do you think personally?

Essay Topic 2

In book V, Augustine wants to move to Rome, in Italy. He hears that the students are much more disciplined there. In Carthage, students would walk in and out of class during a lecture and certain students would be very disruptive. Augustine hears that this type of behavior is not tolerated at schools in Rome.

1. Compare and contrast students in that age to those in the present day.

2. What do you think it means to be a "student?" Give examples and think about this idea "outside the box." Can you relate your ideas to Augustine as a student?

3. What do you think it means to be a "teacher?" Give examples and think about this idea "outside the box." Can you relate your ideas to Augustine as a teacher?

Essay Topic 3

In Book III, Augustine wonders on the lack of even the basic morality of observance of the Ten Commandments in his vicinity.

1. Of what do you think Augustine believes basic morality consists? Give examples from the text and your personal experience.

2. Do you think Augustine sees a lack of morals because he himself suffers from that lack? In other words, is Augustine projecting his own lack of morals on those around him? Why or why not?

3. Research the ten commandments and choose the two you think Augustine has the most difficulty at this point in his life keeping. What are they? Give examples to demonstrate why you think he does not keep those commandments.

(see the answer keys)

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