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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 is the only tree that grows in coral sands?

2. What is the novel Casares wrote in 1934?

3. What are the Spanish poets and intellectuals fleeing in the 30s?

4. Why is it impossible to cut the trees on top of the hill?

5. Why does the narrator think some people like to wear old clothes?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the narrator describe the museum?

2. For what reasons does Borges say he likes adventure stories?

3. What kind of machine does the narrator say he wants to develop?

4. Why does the narrator have to escape to the island?

5. What does the narrator feel about the woman he sees watching the sunset?

6. Why does the narrator think either he or the others could be dead?

7. What is Casares' relationship with Borges?

8. What does Borges think is fantastic literature?

9. Describe Casares' upbringing.

10. How did Casares' mother influence his storytelling style?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the story change when Morel is introduced? In what way does Morel cause the story's conflict?

Essay Topic 2

Why were genre novels becoming more respected in the 40s? In what way were authors like Casares influential in the critical evaluation of genre books? How was Casares influenced by genres such as adventure books?

Essay Topic 3

Aside from the main character, examine the way the author uses the other characters in the book. When does he introduce and take them away from the story? What effect does this have on the story?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 711 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample