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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. How long will the boys stay in a special hut after the circumcision?

2. The dancing goes on how long after the circumcision ceremony and before the boys are taken to a special hut where they will stay?

3. What does Camara's father's second wife hold up as a symbol for Camara during the circumcision ceremony?

4. How does Camara's mother light up his bed?

5. When does the tom-tom begin to beat for the rite of passage?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who or what is Konden Diara? What does Camara's father tell him to do?

2. How do Camara's parents initially react to his news about going to Paris?

3. Camara does not like one of the behaviors his mother exhibits when he gets back home for vacation? Which behavior?

4. What does Camara receive from his parents before he leaves home for Conakry?

5. Describe the character of Camara's mother.

6. What happens in the special hut where the young men are gathered, after the actual circumcision takes place?

7. What happens during the first year Camara is supposed to attend school in Conakry?

8. Describe the character of Mamadou.

9. When Camara is a teenager, he must prepare for his culture's important rite of passage: circumcision. How and when does his ritual begin? How does Camara feel about it?

10. Describe the character of Marie.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"The Dark Child" is an autobiographical novel. How do you know this? Prove that the book is this kind of genre with supporting evidence gathered from the novel. What is the author's writing style? How does he relate the stories and the characters to himself? Give examples.

Essay Topic 2

How does Camara get treated by his grandmother when he visits her in Tindican? Describe her affection and routines towards Camara. How does Camara react to this treatment? What does his grandmother's behavior tell you about their relationship? Compare/contrast Camara's grandmother's behavior towards him throughout the book. Does it change? How does it evolve?

Essay Topic 3

Chapter 2 of "The Dark Child" talks mainly about the gold work Camara's father performs. This gold work creates positive and negative reactions throughout the chapter. Compare/contrast the reactions of the chapter's characters in relation to the significance of the gold work. Use supporting evidence to discuss the different emotions towards the gold/gold work.

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