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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 Peter eventually cook for his master while Andrew Kadibe is visiting?

2. From where is Chief Nanga's second wife-to-be?

3. Where in the car does Elsie sit?

4. What used to be Odili's father's profession?

5. What does Peter buy for his father?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Odili surprised to be awakened early by Chief Nanga after his first night at the Minister of Culture's house?

2. Why does Chief Nanga scorn his old nickname, "M.A. Minus Opportunity"?

3. What series of events leads up to Odili's disillusionment with the POP.?

4. Why is Odili's father hated?

5. How does Odili describe his reaction to being a prominent member of the dinner conversation?

6. What attitudes do the foreigners at the dinner conversation seem to have toward Africa, and how do they demonstrate such?

7. Why is Peter merely working as Odili's houseboy?

8. Why does Odili envy Peter?

9. Why is Odili's next-door neighbor in college called "Irre"?

10. What is ironic about Chief Koko's reaction to drinking OHMS?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A major theme that runs throughout "A Man of the People" is the importance and perception of education. Discuss how education factors into the plot of the story: How does it affect the characters' dispositions? Does it have an influence on their political ideologies? What is the overall tone of the book toward education?

Essay Topic 2

What start as separate, if related, threads in the story -- revenge, politics and love -- become entangled in Odili's life. Discuss the entanglement of these various threads and explain how an action toward any one goal ends up affecting the others.

Essay Topic 3

As part of the political corruption in the story, there is a strong irony in some of the governmental appointments. For example, Chief Nanga is the Minister of Culture and yet does not even know one of the country's most famous authors, nor can he remember the title of his song. Are there any other ironic governmental appointments in the story? What does this reveal about the manner of ministerial appointment in the country? What does this irony help accomplish in the plot of the story?

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