Montagne. "On Cannibals", "Of the Inconsistency of Our Actions". Reading Questions

"On Cannibals"
  1. What is the point of the anecdote at the beginning of the essay? Comment on the last sentence of the first paragraph.
  2. Who is the source for Montage's knowledge about "barbarians," specifically cannibals.
  3. The third paragraph begins a digression that ends with the first paragraph on page 1633. What is the point of the digression? (Last line of that paragraph).
  4. How is Montage's source more believable than other "clever" people?
  5. Why can't Montagne trust topographers? How is his opinion similar to the conclusion of Socrates when he searched for the wisest man?
  6. How does man define barbarism, according to Montagne?
  7. How are barbarians more natural than contemporary man?
  8. Montagne says that nature is more perfect than art. What examples does he point to? Therefore, natural man (barbarian) is more perfect than civilized man. Your comment?
  9. How is this natural man more perfect than civilized man? What does barbarian society lack that makes it more perfect? (page 1634, par. 2).
  10. How does the geography and climate contribute to their perfection? (page 1634, par. 3). To what extent do you think both of these contribute to human character?
  11. What does he have to say about their diet?
  12. Describe their religion. How is it practiced? What are their only two ethical virtues? Explain the role of their prophets. (page 1635).
  13. Montagne seems to agree on how to handle "false" prophets. (page 1636, par. 1). At whom do you think is his question in the last two sentences of this paragraph directed?
  14. On page 1636 montagne focuses on the treatment of prisoners. How are they treated differently in the two societies, the barbarians and the European civilized one?
  15. In the second paragraph on page 1637 Montagne seems to think that European society is more savage than that of the barbarians. Can you provide some justification?
  16. What is difference and the same in the reason why barbarians and Europeans fight wars and how they treat the vanquished? (page 1637).
  17. Where does real honor lie, according to Montagne? (page 1638).
  18. Montagne says, "There are triumphant defeats that rival victories.", "The role of true victory is in fighting, not in coming off safely; and the honor of valor consists in combating, not in beating." What example does he provide? How can a defeat be triumphant? What is your opinion on this?
  19. The first paragraph on page 1639 describes the attitude of the prisoners toward their captors. At the end of the paragraph Montagne asks who is the real savage, they or we? What is your comment?
  20. What is their view of polygamy? How do they justify it? What other historical examples of polygamy does Montagne provide?
  21. What did the two savages brought to Europe find most amazing?
  22. What benefit does the king get for being a king?
  23. What do you think is the meaning of the last sentence?
"Of the Inconsistency of Our Actions"
  1. Rephrase Montagne's thesis on this topic as expressed in the first long sentence.
  2. How does the quote by Publilius Syrus relate to the essay title and thesis? (page 1641).
  3. How are authors wrong in how they describe a person's character?
  4. Comment on the paragraph that starts with "Our ordinary practice..." on page 1641. Do you agree with Montagne?
  5. Generally speaking, where do most of Montagne's examples come from? Why do you think he chose those examples?
  6. On page 1643 Montagne attempts to provide something close to a psychological explanation of man's character that is not too far from Freud's. How so? Pay special attention to the adjectives he uses in describing himself.
  7. How do the two examples of the woman who tries to commit suicide and of Hassan relate to the topic of the essay?
  8. Why is it difficult to describe a man's character? (page 1645, par. 2)
  9. What is Montagne's advice to those who want to judge men? How is this advice contradictory? (last paragraph)