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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 is Wamuhu's mother "preoccupied" (62) with when her husband asks her why she thinks John came?

2. What is the old woman who passes John while he walks alone carrying?

3. Where does John tell the old woman he is going for school the following week?

4. What does the old woman who asks John how he is call him?

5. How does John respond when Wamuhu's mother asks him to sit and wait for Wamuhu?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does John do as he prepares to leave his hut without telling his parents?

2. What is Stanley's position on his son spending time with other girls?

3. How does John feel about his village as he walks alone just after leaving his parent's hut?

4. What happens at the tea shop John goes to during his walk alone in the village and why?

5. Describe John's interaction with the old woman carrying a large load of Kuni he meets on his walk through the village?

6. What does John's mother tell John when he returns to the hut after returning from the tea shop and why does this worry John?

7. What does Wamuhu's father say after John leaves and his wife seems hopeful that John likes their daughter?

8. How does John feel about the men and women he passes in the village as he walks alone to Wamuhu's hut?

9. In what ways is John said to be different than other educated boys who return to the village?

10. Where is Wamuhu when John arrives at her hut? How does his mother behave toward John?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Genre is a category assigned to a literary work. What are some genres that could be used to classify the story? What is the main genre of the story? Do you think this genre is most effective? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss elements of the narrative structure; Exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the story's themes?

Essay Topic 3

Write a detailed analysis of tone in Thiong'o's "Meeting in the Dark." Include whether the tone changes or remains the same. If it changes, include details on when, why and whether this change is effective.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 716 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample