View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Bessie says that the African people want to develop how?

2. According to Bessie, the blacks of Cape Town accept hell to have what?

3. What does Bessie think that the blacks in Cape Town believe?

4. What was Bessie's biggest frustration in "An Unspeakable Crime"?

5. According to Bessie, what do the South African blacks possess that evens out all their downfalls?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "Village People," how does Bessie describe poverty in Africa?

2. What are Bessie's beliefs about racists?

3. Why do the South African blacks relate to the artist, Gladys Mgudlandlu?

4. In "A Gentle People," what are Bessie's feelings regarding the black people of Cape Town?

5. In "preface to Witchcraft," why is Bessie angry with South Africa?

6. In "Village People," how does Bessie describe the black African people?

7. In 1982, Bessie writes about her reaction when people discussed her writing. Why did she get so frustrated?

8. What did Bessie think of the mission orphanage that she was sent to at age 13?

9. Why did Bessie keep all the notes that the American woman gave her?

10. In "The Old Woman," what is Bessie referring to when she says "Gods walk around Africa barefoot with nothing"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Bessie describes the lonely life of South African refugees as she experienced. Do you that the refugees would say that it's a small price to pay for freedom? What was Botswana's reaction to refugees after independence? How did this reflect their view of refugees? Do you think that refugees are ever truly "free" of the country that they have fled? Are they always associated with it in the new country? Is this true today of America and refugees from the Muslim countries? What are the stereotypes of these refugees? Do you think that refugees should be forced to assimilate totally into their adoptive country, even forsaking previous culture, language, and religion?

Essay Topic 2

Oppression stunted and almost obliterated Bessie's creativity. And yet, the musician, Makeba, seemed to revel in it. Why do you think it would affect two people so differently? Is it a question of passion? Does it create more passion for some and less for others? Do you think that Makeba's passion for liberation fueled her in a creative sense? Did she use the situation to her own advantage? Did Bessie's avoidance of anything liberatory or revolutionary deny her this? Had she been more liberal, might she have been able to write?

Essay Topic 3

Conflict is the main theme of "A Woman Alone". Do you think that there was just as much internal conflict in the book as external? Do you believe that external conflicts are a direct result of individual internal conflicts? Explain Bessie's internal conflict regarding her avoidance of all things revolutionary and liberatory. Was she always proud of this? Did it sometimes create problems with others? Do you think that Bessie avoided these issues because she didn't think that they were effective or because she knew that she couldn't deal with them mentally?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 942 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample