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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. Who wrote "Such, Such Were the Joys..."?

2. Under what circumstances did Walter Benjamin die?

3. What is the subject of "Such, Such Were the Joys..."?

4. When was Lu Hsun born?

5. When was Junichiro Tanizaki born?

Short Essay Questions

1. What tone is Max Beerbohm famous for in his essays?

2. What two works of G. K. Chesterton are included in this volume? What are the subjects of these essays?

3. What kind of literature did Virginia Woolf write? What was a common focus that united her work?

4. Describe the important events in Lu Hsun's life that impacted his personal essays.

5. What style is James Thurber known for? What was a common theme in Thurber's writing?

6. What subject dominated the writings of George Orwell? Name three specific things George Orwell wrote about.

7. What is Orwell's "Such, Such Were the Joys..." about? What complaints does Orwell have about the subject?

8. What is Jose Luis Borges' perspective on his own increasing blindness, as revealed in his essay "Blindness?"

9. What is Robert Louis Stevenson best known for today?

10. How does Seymour Krim's life compare to Mary McCarthy's? How did Krim's childhood impact his writing?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose two essays.

A) Describe the biographical background of each author.

B) Describe the subject and author's intention ("message") with each essay.

C) Explain how A) and B) are related. Why is an understanding of biography often critical with the personal essay medium? In these two cases, how can we measure the influence of life events on the essay's philosophy and point of view?

Essay Topic 2

Physical conditions are the subject of Seneca's "Asthma" and Jose Luis Borge's "Blindness."

A) How does each man confront his condition? What is each man's attitude?

B) Seneca's philosophy is said to be Stoic. How does Borge's philosophy, as revealed in "Blindness," compare to the Stoic philosophy?

Essay Topic 3

"Essays in Idleness" by Kenko and "An Apology for Idlers" by Robert Louis Stevenson provide musings on idleness.

A) How does each author view idleness? Can idleness be valuable? What are the advantages and disadvantages of being idle?

B) Compare the forms of each essay. Kenko wrote a journal, while Stevenson is offering an "apology." How does form relate to content in each case?

(see the answer keys)

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