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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 sport does Ifemelu play with Dike when she visits in Chapter 17?

2. Who is the Nigerian man that Aunty Uju has begun seeing in Chapter 11?

3. What has Curt's family been for hundreds of years?

4. At whose house is the party where Obinze and Ifemelu meet?

5. What does Mariama's customer say Nigerians are known for being in Chapter 18?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who does Obinze work for at a warehouse in London? How is he treated at this job?

2. What racism has Dike encountered while at summer camp in Part 2? How does this experience affect him?

3. What differences stand out the most to Ifemelu between Nigeria and America after she's first arrived in the U.S. in Part 2?

4. What is the name of the blog that Ifemelu writes and what is the focus of the blog?

5. How are Obinze's and Ifemelu's struggles with employment in their new-found countries similar?

6. How would you describe Obinze in the beginning of the novel? What objects symbolize Obinze's character?

7. Why does Ifemelu begin relaxing her hair in Part 2? What effect does it have?

8. How are Obinze's cousin in London and Aunty Uju in America similar in the novel?

9. What discussion emerges in Ifemelu's history class regarding the film Roots in Part 2?

10. How would you describe Ifemelu's character when she is first introduced? What are her circumstances?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What propels Ifemelu’s decision to return to Nigeria? How do Americans in the narrative respond when they learn that Ifemelu is returning to her home country? Why? How does Ifemelu feel about her decision?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and analyze the character of Shan in the novel. How is Shan similar to and different from Ifemelu? What are Ifemelu’s first impressions of Shan? How does their relationship develop in the course of the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the themes of isolation and conformity. How do Ifemelu and other Nigerian immigrants go about assimilating into American culture in the narrative? What do you think they lose along the way toward conformity? How is Ifemelu affected by her assimilation into American culture?

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