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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Why did Catholicism drastically change the Aztec view of life?
(a) It placed a merciful God in charge.
(b) It emphasized man's humanity and personhood.
(c) It saw life linearly rather than cyclically.
(d) It placed man's salvation outside himself.

2. According to Paz, what is the Mexican's relationship with his fellow man?
(a) He changes him to Nobody.
(b) He respects him only if they are the same social class.
(c) He ignores him.
(d) He respects him only if he is revered.

3. Why is death a part of the fiesta (Chapter Three)?
(a) Because the Mexican seeks to escape from himself.
(b) Because exuberant death is honorable.
(c) Because people often get drunk and violent.
(d) Because Mexico celebrates all aspects of life, even the end.

4. From what does a fiesta free the Mexican, in Paz's understanding?
(a) The explosive desires he carries in his heart.
(b) The horror of human thought.
(c) The drudgery of common living.
(d) The sense of unfulfilled desires.

5. Above all other definitions, who is the Chingada?
(a) The representation of virginity.
(b) A living mother.
(c) A mythical mother.
(d) The representation of violated womanhood.

Short Answer Questions

1. What contributes to the power of the word, chingar, and all of its derivations?

2. When does the pachuco become his true self?

3. As explained in Chapter One, who are the pachucos?

4. How are the worlds of terrorism and mass production similar to each other? (Chapter Four).

5. In the book's argument, what happens when a Mexican woman is passive?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Paz explain the Mexican woman's role in society? How does that strip her of her personality?

2. What is left of the colonial world? Are those remnants the best or the worst parts that could be left behind?

3. What happens during the fiesta? What is the emotional result?

4. Why does the Mexican love Form? Other than in personal relationships, how does that idea express itself?

5. What is the Mexican view of death? When does death become saddest?

6. What is the character of the Mexican's solitude? How does it differ from the solitude of the North American?

7. "The pachuco has lost his whole inheritance: Language, religion, customs, and beliefs. He is left with only a body and a soul with which to confront the elements" (Chapter One, pg 15). Is that a true statement?

8. What group of people did the author have in mind as he wrote the book? How and why did those people become important to him?

9. When does Paz say that a nation questions itself? Is it necessary?

10. How does North American culture view the pachuco? Does the pachuco accept or reject that culture's perception of him?

(see the answer keys)

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