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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. Who is it said that some of the educated boys return to the village with?

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

3. What does John want to yell at his village as he walks alone in the beginning of "Meeting in the Dark"?

4. What does the smoke John sees coming out of the huts as he walks alone indicate?

5. What does Wamuhu's father say to his wife after John leaves?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

4. 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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay analyzing Thiong'o's commentary on religion in "Meeting in the Dark." How is religion important to the story? How does it affect the narrative? Use textual evidence to explain your analysis.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay analyzing the symbolic significance of John's father’s position as a preacher. Why is this important and how does it develop the themes of the story? What would be different if his family were not Christian? Use examples from the text to support your viewpoint.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay examining John’s dream in "Meeting in the Dark." What happens in the dream? What might the dream symbolize? How does John’s dream develop the narrative?

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