View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How did John's mother know that Robby was getting high?

2. What is it that unites almost all the prisoners?

3. Where did John go to school?

4. What kinds of places did Robby NOT frequent?

5. How long does John say is the longest he's ever talked with his brother in his whole life?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why was Robby expelled from high school in 1968?

2. How does John characterize the significance of Robby's birthday?

3. How does John characterize the waiting room?

4. Who travels to the prison to visit Robby?

5. How does John describe his and his siblings' background?

6. What does John say the prisoners notice?

7. Who is Garth, and what was his importance in Robby's life?

8. How are Jamila and Robby related in John's mind?

9. What happened after Robby's arrest?

10. How does John say Robby changed his mother?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an evaluative review of "Brothers and Keepers". What is this book's place in culture? What are its uses? Who is its audience? What are its limitations?

Essay Topic 2

Where is the climax of this book? Are there different climaxes? What questions does each climax resolve? What questions does each climax leave unanswered?

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast John and Robby's methods of speaking out. What do they say, when they have a chance? What are they prevented from saying? What does this tell us about the options black men have, for speaking up?

(see the answer keys)

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