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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 John's profession?

2. How does Robby meet Johnny-Boy?

3. What makes John angry during his visit with Robby?

4. To what does Robby compare himself and the other inmates?

5. How many prisoners take degrees?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Robby characterize the ghetto mentality?

2. What does Robby say about educate for prisoners?

3. What is it about the prison workers that makes John mad?

4. Describe Robby's meeting with Johnny-Boy.

5. How does John describe Robby's drug deal in Detroit?

6. What did Robby and Cecil argue about?

7. Who was Red Murphy?

8. How did Robby and his crew get assistance on the night of the robbery?

9. How did Robby and his crew pull off the robbery?

10. What does Robby say about his educate in his speech?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is John's relationship with his blackness? When does he feel most black? When does he feel least black? What does his experience tell us about being black in America? How is his relationship with his blackness different from Robby's?

Essay Topic 2

Evaluate your own reading of "Brothers and Keepers"--did you resist it, or were you compelled by the story? What does your reading tell you about yourself and your interests? Use specific examples from the book to describe yourself as a reader.

Essay Topic 3

How does John define freedom in "Brothers and Keepers", and how does he exercise his freedom? In what ways is he NOT free? How does his lack of freedom compare with his brother's? Is he just a different kind of prisoner? Is he freer because he has stayed clear of the law? Is he free because he has work that supports him? What does freedom reside in?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 780 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample