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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 character working in the hospital basement scares Richard?

2. What parade does Richard try to be part of?

3. Why does Richard not find Bess attractive?

4. Where do Richard and his friend find bootleg liquor?

5. What reason does Richard give for leaving the South?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Richard find Chicago so startling?

2. Why does Richard want to read H.L Mencken?

3. In what way does Richard's situation take a turn for the worse when the Great Depression hits America?

4. Why does Mrs. Moss end up disgusting Richard?

5. Why don't Southern people like it when blacks move to Northern cities?

6. What does Richard realize as he stands in line at the relief station?

7. How does Richard borrow books from the white library?

8. What problems does Richard face as publicity agent for the Federal Negro Theater?

9. How do the white man and black man use Richard to help them move the liquor?

10. What happens when Richard joins the May Day parade?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine black masculinity.

1) In what ways did the whites oppress black masculinity?

2) How did the white man's oppression of black masculinity affect black men?

3) How have black men reacted to the oppression of their masculinity?

Essay Topic 2

Look at the structure of the book.

1) Discuss elements of the narrative structure: exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the book's ideas?

2) Examine the way Wright uses other people in the story to express his ideas.

Essay Topic 3

Pick a character from the novel and discuss his/her goals and motives. Does he/she achieve his/her motive? Does he/she share similar goals and motives with other characters? Do his/her goals clash with other characters? How do the characters' goals and motives affect their interactions with each other?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 868 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample