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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 was the name of the Irishwoman known for her fearlessness?

2. How did the settlers assume Mr. Nimmo was making money?

3. What ancient story did Crawford use as an example?

4. How did Captain Palmer plan to build his house?

5. What was Robin's primary goal in his travels?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the relationship the Kikuyu had with their surroundings.

2. Why was Robin having a difficult time with the oxen?

3. How did Huxley describe the Kikuyu attitude toward theft?

4. Why were the natives so fascinated by the lamp, but did not care about the gramophone?

5. How did Elsepth Huxley describe the smell of Africa?

6. Why were the natives so eager to bring their children to Tilly?

7. How did the differences between Mrs. Nimmo and Tilly come through in their first meeting?

8. Describe the personalities of Mr. and Mrs. Oram.

9. What was Lettice Palmer's first reaction to the health conditions in Africa?

10. What did Lettice Palmer find most disturbing about Africa and what was she most concerned about for herself and fellow Europeans?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Elspeth Huxley described in detail the process of leaving Thika to return to England during the war. Write an essay describing the attitudes displayed by both the natives and the European settlers as the war descended. How were people on each side of the cultural divide affected by their experiences? How did the natives view the Huxley family?

Essay Topic 2

The Huxleys encountered two "foreign" concepts in marriage during their stay in Africa--the notion of a "bride-price" paid to the prospective bride's family, and polygamy. Discuss how these two practices could have impacted the society in Thika. What would have been accomplished by Njombo paying a family for a bride? Why was he not allowed to marry her without sufficient goats to give? Did the woman appear to have any say in the matter? How did the multiple wives live? What were the European attitudes toward these practices?

Essay Topic 3

Elspeth, despite her European heritage, sincerely believed that a charm would protect her duiker, Twinkle. In what ways did her belief illustrate how her upbringing was becoming essentially African? Why was she more open to the notion of protective charms than the adults around her? Was she doing a better job adapting to local traditions and belief-systems?

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