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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. According to Paz, what philosophical fact defines much of Mexico's history?

2. How did the Independence movement begin in South America?

3. In Paz's philosophy, why must Mexicans face reality alone?

4. What economic goal did the Revolution have?

5. According to Paz, who is most fascinated by death?

Short Essay Questions

1. Paz asserts that every revolution attempts to restore the order that an oppressor has twisted or disregarded altogether. How was that true in Mexico?

2. Mexico has entered a new phase of thinking and history. How does Paz explain that phase?

3. How does Paz explain the suicides of the Aztec people? Is it a reasonable explanation?

4. How does unemployment on the farms affect the cities? How does it slow all of Mexico's development?

5. What does Paz think of the Soviet Union? How does it compare to Mexico?

6. What happened when Spanish America separated itself from Spain? Given what Paz has stated throughout the book about that moment in history, draw your own conclusions about why that happened.

7. Pulling from the ideas of Jose Gaos, Paz, speaks of the physical duality in Mexico. What does that mean? What significance does that idea have?

8. Why was the Aztec nation able to unify so many diverse tribes? How were they quite skilled with that type of action?

9. When did Independence begin in Mexico? How was it similar to or different from the Conquest?

10. How does Paz define "Mexicanism"? How does it mesh with the individual whom he had described earlier?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Find the deaths that are mentioned in the book. According to the Mexican criterion for a worthy death - the death suits the life - how many of those people died a worthy death? How many of them died a death that did not suit their lives?

Essay Topic 2

Does Paz's writing style mirror the subject? When is he vociferous? When does it feel that he is holding something back?

Essay Topic 3

Who is the Chingada? What roots does she have in Aztec religion and history? Like her opposite, the Virgin of Guadalupe, is redemption possible?

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