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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 does Richard have to fight Uncle Tom off with?

2. What does Mr Crane want to train Richard in?

3. What does Richard do to gain acceptance at his new school?

4. Who does RIchard say is the person who encourages him to keep writing?

5. In what way does Richard think thievery is encouraged?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Richard stop selling the newspaper?

2. Why does Richard continue working for the second white family, even though he dislikes them?

3. How does Richard's ability to read and write help him in Chapter 3?

4. How do Pease and Reynolds treat Richard at the optical factory?

5. What happens between the white security guard and Richard in Chapter 10?

6. How does Richard cut his ear?

7. What job does Richard find in Chapter 5?

8. Why does the schoolteacher have to move out of Granny's house?

9. What does Richard eat for his meals in Jackson?

10. What mistake does Granny make at the end of Chapter 4?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Identify the main themes of the book. Why do you think these themes are so important to the book? How does Wright use character and setting to express his themes?

Essay Topic 2

Examine black femininity.

1) In what did the whites oppress black femininity?

2) How did the white man's oppression of black femininity affect black women?

3) How have black women reacted to the oppression of their femininity?

Essay Topic 3

Pick one of the following characters and examine his/her influence on molding Richard's character.

1) Richard's mother

2) Richard's father

3) Richard's grandmother

4) Aunt Maggie

5) Alan

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 729 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample