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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. Did Castaneda shoot the revered bird when it was in his line of sight?

2. What does Castaneda pull out that he wants to fill in with Don Juan while he is with him?

3. What does Don Juan give to Castaneda to eat when he is sitting in the sunlight?

4. Don Juan states that when one has no personal history, no _____________ are needed anymore.

5. How many months of extra research does Castaneda do in preparation for his work with Don Juan?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Castaneda think Don Juan is crazy, like his friend seems to believe?

2. What does Don Juan instruct Castaneda to do when they are hiking and Castaneda just wants to rest?

3. How does Don Juan respond to the statement by Castaneda that he is a Yaqui Indian and he cannot deny that?

4. What does Don Juan point out about the water rats they observe the entire morning?

5. What is the point of the loud siren sounds that Don Juan begins to make at Castaneda?

6. What would have happened if Don Juan had kept all of the quails they had captured?

7. What does Don Juan say the wind's identity truly is, rather than just being a part of nature's actions?

8. Don Juan shares something about the crow cawing, something that surprised it about its cawing - what surprised him?

9. What does Don Juan reveal to be the true identity of the dog that Castaneda saw during his peyote experience?

10. When Castaneda goes to visit Don Juan in December of 1960, what question does he ask Don Juan upon his arrival?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The decision to meet with Don Juan is one that Castaneda does not make lightly. At the same time, it seems to be a decision he doesn't quite think through.

Part 1: Why do you think Castaneda choose Don Juan to work with in his book?

Part 2: Do you think Don Juan believes Castaneda to be a worthy student? Why or why not?

Part 3: What might Castaneda have done differently if he were to be able to redo his first meeting with Don Juan?

Essay Topic 2

The disappearing car is certainly something that takes Castaneda by surprise and it seems to signal a new chapter in his growth.

Part 1: Why do you think the car's disappearance is important to Castaneda's learning?

Part 2: Do you think the car really disappeared? Why or why not?

Part 3: What do you think the lesson of the disappearing car might have been?

Essay Topic 3

Don Juan is insistent that Castaneda must not want change because he doesn't seem to be changing much between their meetings.

Part 1: Why is it important to Don Juan that he see change in Castaneda?

Part 2: Do you think Castaneda really wants to change himself? Why or why not?

Part 3: Can a person avoid changing? Why or why not? Isn't change just a natural process that doesn't need to be instigated? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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