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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. With what hero from the Bible does Njoroge admire and often identify himself?

2. Who was fought by the Kenyans in the second Big War?

3. Who is Suzannah's first child?

4. What Kenyan dish is Nyokabi making when Njoroge and his father talk about the approaching of school beginning in Chapter 4?

5. What did Dedan thank the police for when he dropped them a note from an airplane, according to Karanja's story in Chapter 8?

Short Essay Questions

1. How much time has passed in the "Interlude" between Parts 1 and 2 of the novel? What tone is established in this brief chapter?

2. How is the home of Njoroge described? How many huts are there?

3. What does the barber symbolize in the novel?

4. What does the land represent to Ngotho in the novel?

5. Where does Njoroge's family move in Part 1: "The Waning Light," Chapter 7? Why?

6. How does Njoroge feel about attending school? How does he discover he will attend in Part 1: "The Waning Light," Chapter 1?

7. Why is Kamau upset about Nganga in Part 1: "The Waning Light," Chapter 2?

8. How is the relationship between Ngotho and Mr. Howlands depicted in Part 1: "The Waning Light," Chapter 3?

9. What event is described as happening in Murang'a in the "Interlude"? Why is it significant?

10. What does Boro say about union and division in Part 2: "Darkness Falls," Chapter 9?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the roles of religion, mythology, and oral tradition in Weep Not, Child. To what religion do Njoroge and his family adhere? How is this faith demonstrated in the text? How are traditional mythology and storytelling interwoven into the narrative and what is the result of this interweaving?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss education as a theme in Weep Not, Child. What is the meaning of education to Njoroge and the members of his family and his community? How is education perceived differently by the characters in this novel than it is in your family, culture, and community? How is it similar?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the mood and tone of Weep Not, Child in the beginning, the middle, and the end. How would you characterize the atmosphere of the book in the opening? How does this atmosphere transition in "Interlude"? How does Part 2 differ in mood and tone than Part 1?

(see the answer keys)

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