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"By Night in Chile" Quiz
An aging Chilean priest and literary critic delivers a feverish, guilt-ridden monologue reflecting on his complicity with Chile's intellectual and political elite during Pinochet's dictatorship.
fiction | Published in 2003
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Test your knowledge about the book "By Night in Chile". We have come up with 15 quiz questions for the book. Hit play and start testing your knowledge. Each correctly answered question gives one point.
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Essay questions
These essay questions are meant to be used as a starting point for your essay or research paper.
- How does Roberto Bolaño use the narrative voice of Father Urrutia to explore themes of guilt and complicity in 'By Night in Chile'?
- Discuss the role of literature and intellectualism in the novel. How are writers portrayed in relation to the political climate of Chile?
- Analyze the motif of illness and decay in the book. What does Father Urrutia's physical deterioration symbolize?
- Examine the relationship between memory and truth in 'By Night in Chile.' How reliable is Father Urrutia as a narrator?
- How does Bolaño's portrayal of the Catholic Church critique its involvement in Chilean society during the Pinochet era?
- Discuss the significance of the 'wizened youth' who haunts Father Urrutia throughout the novel. What might this character represent?
- Explore Bolaño’s use of stream-of-consciousness narrative style. How does it affect the reader's experience of the story?
- In what ways does 'By Night in Chile' comment on the responsibilities of artists and intellectuals under authoritarian regimes?
- Analyze the symbolism of darkness and night in the novel. How are these motifs connected to the broader themes of the book?
- Discuss the depiction of exile, both literal and metaphorical, in 'By Night in Chile.' Who is exiled and why?
- How does irony function in Bolaño's narrative, particularly in relation to Father Urrutia's self-perception and actions?
- Examine the intersections of art, politics, and morality in the novel. How do these intersections shape the characters’ decisions?
- Consider the structure of the novel as a deathbed confession. How does this framing device influence the themes and tone of the story?
- Discuss the role of mentorship and influence in the novel, especially in the context of Father Urrutia's relationships with other writers and priests.
- What is the significance of the various literary and historical references in 'By Night in Chile'? How do they contribute to the novel's meaning?