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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 happened when the author was stopped by a PG County officer?

2. How does the author describe Prince Jones?

3. According to the author, whom or what do the police reflect?

4. Why does the author fear the PG County police?

5. What regret does the author have about the friend he made in France?

Short Essay Questions

1. What reasons does the author give for the anger of the man who was having his home repossessed?

2. Why is the author angry and frustrated at the outcome of the investigation of the undercover cop who shot Prince Jones?

3. What revelation does the author have about police officers and authority figures after the September 11 attacks?

4. Why are black children told to be "twice as good"?

5. According to the author, how is racism experienced through city planning and real estate?

6. Why is the author's fear of his son seeing him arrested greater than his fear of being arrested?

7. Why has the author been too afraid to encourage his son to stand up for his rights?

8. What impact does the death of Prince Jones have on the author?

9. How does the author contrast black and white societies?

10. How is the author disappointed by the lack of education during his Civil War battlefield tour?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author speaks often of a body that is easily broken. The theme of impending violence is an undercurrent that runs throughout the memoir. Is the author referring solely to physical violence or to a deeper emotional state of being? Based off of the author's observations, which might be more damaging in the long run - the threat of physical violence or a constant undercurrent of emotional upheaval?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the different societal views of "The American Dream," or "The "Dream," as the author calls it. What are potential material, social and emotional advantages of living "The "Dream"? Why does Coates warn his son (and others) against the pursuit of "The Dream"?

Essay Topic 3

As Coates drives away from Dr. Jones' elegant home, he passes though a ghetto. What does this ghetto symbolize to the author? What similarities does he draw between black Americans of all socioeconomic classes? What conclusions can you draw about Coates' view of "The American Dream"?

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This section contains 1,281 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample