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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 is the name of the magazine H. L. Mencken edits?

2. Who throws Richard out of the May Day parade?

3. Where does Richard find work?

4. What does Richard need to do to to get the position at the post office?

5. What is Wright fearful of doing at work?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do Richard's fellow comrades begins to shun him?

2. What problems does Wright find in New York City?

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

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

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

6. Why does Richard find Chicago so startling?

7. How do Richard's white co-workers in the cafe shock him?

8. Why does Shorty amuse Richard?

9. What does Richard decide at the end of the book?

10. How do Richard's co-workers react when he tells them he is moving North?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

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

Essay Topic 3

Why did Richard develop sympathies towards the Communist Party? How did Wright view Communist ideas later on in life?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 815 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample