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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. What does Bigger do after he puts Mary to bed?

2. What is Vera doing at the YWCA?

3. Why is Bigger afraid of being caught in Mary's bedroom?

4. Where does Bigger and Mary take Jan after their evening out?

5. How does Bigger plan to explain his fingerprints in Mary's bedroom?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do the Dalton's make Bigger feel so uncomfortable?

2. Describe Bigger's home.

3. Why does Bigger seem to take an instant dislike to Mary Dalton?

4. Why does Bigger get so angry and violent with Gus when he says he'll go along with the robbery?

5. After all the gory details of the way he disposed of Mary's body, how was Bigger reacting?

6. Explain the game, "White," that Bigger and his friends played.

7. What happened when Mary's body didn't fit into the furnace?

8. How does Bigger feel about his family?

9. Why does Bigger need to get a job?

10. How does Bigger really feel about holding up Blum's Delicatessen?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Use of Actual Historical Events:

The author of this novel, Richard Wright, used actual historical events in the novel to bring more life to the story and to aid in his plot. In particular he mentioned the Scottsboro Boys and the Leob and Leopold Case. Write an essay about these cases and how they fit into the novel. Add any additional points used that were from real historical events.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay on the way the author, Richard Wright wrote this story, demonstrates both sides of the "nature versus nurture" theory. This is particularly strong when Max testifies to the court about Bigger's life. In the essay describe various parts of the story and how they reinforce both aspects of the theory.

Essay Topic 3

At the very end of the story Max is upset when Bigger comes to the conclusion that it must have been good that he killed. In an essay explain Bigger's reasoning and how he came to that conclusion. Also explain what Max is trying to make Bigger understand after he comes to this conclusion. Why might the two men have different views on this subject?

(see the answer keys)

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