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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. The Narrator feels apprehensive about

2. The ghost that Phaedrus pursued was

3. Man is a passive observer or a "blank tablet" was first proposed by

4. Phaedrus did not understand

5. Who suffered the most from Phaedrus' isolation?

Short Essay Questions

1. What types of things are so dependent on Quality that they would be significantly changed or nonexistent if Quality did not exist?

2. Explain one of his more radical teaching techniques.

3. What is symbolized by the riding without helmets and what is symbolized by Chris' standing on the pegs to ride the motorcycle?

4. What does the Narrator mean by referring to Phaedrus' reading of philosophers as the high country of the world of thought?

5. The Narrator says that the ghost Phaedrus pursued appeared incoherent and meaningless, causing the most normal of everyday acts to seem slightly mad. What everyday assumptions and purposes caused this?

6. What is the Narrator's personality theory of motorcycles? (How does a motorcycle acquire a unique personality? What makes up a motorcycle's personality?)

7. Goethe's poem captures what may be at stake for the Narrator and Chris on this trip or at this point in their lives. Use the discussion of Chris, the ideas of Phaedrus up to this point, and what is said about the poem to explain how the poem captures what is going on in the Narrator's mind.

8. What are some of the things John likes about Miles City, Montana? What do these indicate about the city? About John?

9. How are the tasks that the Narrator and Chris perform related to the discourse of this chapter?

10. Sentence fragments are exchanged between the Narrator and the young woman who comes into the classroom. What do we learn about rumors concerning Phaedrus (the Narrator) that circulated in the English department? What do you think is the young woman's role at the university at this time?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Narrator says it is good to be in a state of "stuckness." What is "stuckness" and why is a good? What does it allow one's mind to do? Give an example of the Narrator being stuck and then using it to do or say something better than he would have if he had kept going in the original direction.

Essay Topic 2

When Sarah had asked Phaedrus if he was teaching quality, she certainly had no way of knowing what that question would do to him mentally. What do you suppose Sarah had meant when she asked the question?

Essay Topic 3

At the beginning of the book, the Narrator does not seem to understand or connect with Chris on any level. He finds Chris' questions irritating and his behavior frustrating and often refuses to try to communicate. Trace the Narrator's relationship with Chris through the book. Give examples of his attitude at various points. At what point in the book do we see that he is becoming more open to Chris? What does he think or say to make us feel that he wants to reach out to Chris?

(see the answer keys)

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