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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. Why does Alfa ask Mademba to describe the soldier who stabbed him?

2. Who is Alfa's only real white friend among his fellow soldiers?

3. Who wrote, "We embraced each other by our names?"

4. What does Jean-Baptiste do with the hand he steals from Alfa?

5. What does the voice inside Alfa's head tell him as he stayed with Mademba when Mademba was dying?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Alfa think the mad are useful on the battlefield?

2. Why does Alfa receive the Croix de Guerre, a medal of honor?

3. What does Alfa notice about Ibrahima Sack's translations for Captain Armand to Alfa in Part II?

4. How does Alfa always kill the German soldiers he kills after Mademba's death?

5. What does Alfa say he becomes when he goes out to seek the vengeance on German's for Mademba's death?

6. What does Alfa really think about Captain Armand's praise for Black soldiers?

7. What does Mademba ask Alfa to do as Mademba lays mortally wounded on the battlefield?

8. What is Alfa's relationship with Jean-Baptiste?

9. What does Captain Armand want Alfa to do in Part II?

10. What is the cultural attitude from Alfa's culture towards the symbol of a totem?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How and why does Alfa feel Doctor Francois's attitude shift towards him in the aftermath of his own drawing of the severed hands? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay analyzing the language and tone Diop uses throughout this novel, especially as he depicts scenes of war and conflict.

Essay Topic 3

How does Alfa describe his own belief in God and his own feelings about spirituality? Write an essay explaining your answers.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 650 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample