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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 do the cotton pickers wear?

2. How does the speaker feel about Cloine?

3. What is the main fault of the Christian god in "Conversion"?

4. How are the horses pulling the mower in "Reapers" described?

5. What kind of songs are being sung in the cotton fields by field workers in "Georgia Dusk"?

Short Essay Questions

1. According to Helen, why are girls fascinated with Paul?

2. Describe Muriel's physical appearance at the theater.

3. How did the older generation view the blooming of the November Cotton Flower?

4. Why does the speaker refer to Avey as a cow?

5. How does Louisa feel about Tom Burwell and Bob Stone?

6. Why might the author have used the little finger as a metaphor for his entire body in "Prayer"?

7. How does Karintha act out as a 12-year-old?

8. Why might the author choose to use a dog as a metaphor for the soul in "Calling Jesus"?

9. What does the speaker ultimately decide to do about his hunger in "Harvest Song"?

10. Does the narrator appear to place blame on Bane for cutting the men?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Childbirth is a recurring event in "Cane." Discuss how pregnancy and childbirth are viewed by the communities presented in "Cane". How are children treated? How are mothers treated? What situations do we see that are similar, and how are they resolved?

Essay Topic 2

The African-American experience in post-slavery America is the foundation upon which "Cane" is built. What are common experiences of Black Americans in "Cane"? How are these influenced by America's slave past? How are they the same? Different? What does this say about the progression (or lack thereof) of America as a society?

Essay Topic 3

Much of "Cane" deals with race relations and the Black/white divide, but there are also many examples of segmentation within the Black community. Where do we see this happening in the book? Which characters experience being singled out or discriminated upon because of their skin tone? Who is doing this to them? How are their experiences similar/different?

(see the answer keys)

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