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

Short Answer Questions

1. What is Beau's full name in Poem Nineteen?

2. Where did the main character Beau return from psychologically damaged in Poem Nineteen?

3. In Poem Nine, why was the main character disqualified from a contest that she entered to see which child could read the most books?

4. Who narrates the story in Poem Ten?

5. Who narrates the story in Poem Twelve?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Shange writes about the African American woman's struggle to find her own identity in the United States. Based on the play, how do African American women discover their identity? What journey do they have to take in order to gain their identity? Is their identity already there and they just have to "rediscover" it? Please use examples from the book to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

The play describes urban African American life. Why do the women in the play not live in the cities, but "outside" of the cities? How does this relate to the theme of freedom? Please use specific examples from the book.

Essay Topic 3

How does the author portray African American culture in the play? What is significant about her portrayal? Please use examples from the book to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 270 words (approx. 1 page at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample