Sophie's World

Multiple Choice

1. D (Various chapters)

2. A (Chapter 19)

3. C (Various chapters)

4. B (Chapter 15)

5. B (Chapter 35)

6. D (Chapter 2)

7. A (Chapter 21)

8. C (Various chapters)

9. B (Chapter 35)

10. A (Chapter 27)

11. D (Chapter 33)

12. C (Chapter 18)

13. A (Chapter 26)

14. B (Various chapters)

15. A (Various chapters)

Long Answer

1. Each chapter title holds symbolic meaning for what lies ahead. The Garden of Eden is a multi-layered symbol. First, it represents the creation of Sophie’s world. It is the first page and the first day of her existence, along with the existence of the fictional world she inhabits. The Garden of Eden is also a symbol of natural beauty and philosophy’s appreciation and wonder of the natural world. Furthermore, Sophie will be educated by Knox on aspects of Biblical history, including the influence of Jesus on philosophy and the Church’s influence through the Middle Ages. (Various chapters)

2. Knox believes that a philosopher is someone who always questions the world around them and never accepts anything at face value. A philosopher is someone who maintains a sense of childish wonder about the world and its inner workings. Philosophers draw on observation, experience, and logic to formulate their theories. A philosopher is also someone who is not afraid to stare deep into the “rabbit’s fur”; in other words, they are willing to ask the questions that often terrify and disturb us. (Various chapters)

3. In the novel’s conclusion, Sophie and Knox discover that they are characters in a book. They find a way to escape the book by distracting its author and devolving his story into absurdity. Their state as fictional characters illustrates the nature of reality as one which is never fully known. Although Knox and Sophie assume themselves to be regular people throughout most of the novel, they are, in fact, creations in a story that is being written to influence their thoughts and actions. By escaping the story, they demonstrate that free will is possible for anyone with enough knowledge, and this becomes the final irony of the novel as the Major’s instillment of knowledge in Sophie and Knox becomes their method of escape. (Various chapters)