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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Nat see in the Northern lady's eyes at the beginning of Part 3 that ignited his hatred?
(a) Revulsion.
(b) Pity.
(c) Fear.
(d) Anger.

2. What does Nat find in Mrs. Whitehead's library that furthers his plans for a slave uprising?
(a) A map of Southampton County.
(b) A Bible lying open to Judges 15:14, where Sampson kills a thousand men.
(c) A book about famous murderers.
(d) A sharp knife.

3. Who does Nat identify as a white man who was "unconditionally monstrous"?
(a) Thomas Moore.
(b) Nathaniel Francis.
(c) Mr. Whitehead.
(d) Reverend Eppes.

4. Which of Nat's followers was deaf?
(a) Henry.
(b) Hark.
(c) Nat.
(d) Nelson.

5. What is camphene?
(a) Gunpowder mixed with sulphur
(b) Grain alcohol mixed with oil..
(c) Turpentine mixed with grain alcohol.
(d) Alcohol mixed with gasoline.

Short Answer Questions

1. What was Nat's mother's name?

2. Nat settles on which day of the week to begin his insurrection?

3. What type of bird does Nat watch from his hiding place immediately after stealing the book?

4. What term does Nat use to describe Hark's marriage to Tiny?

5. What happens at Persons' millpond after Nat had been teaching Bible class for a while?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Part 1, Marse Samuel speaks to Dr. Ballard about the existence of slavery in the South. He says "it is evil to keep these people in bondage, yet they cannot be freed. They must be educated!" Samuel's brother Benjamin does not agree with him and argues the other point. Who makes the better argument?

2. Nat's vision in Part 3 involves a white angel and a black angel fighting. The black angel wins, casting the white angel down. When Nat questions this vision, he says he received no answer at all "save the answer in my brain." What did he interpret this vision as, and why?

3. After Nat's fast in Part 3, he said there were two events that helped him interpret his vision of the fighting angels as a mandate to kill whites. What were those two events?

4. As the book progresses, the descriptions of white slave owners grow worse and worse, until we reach Nathaniel Francis, introduced in Part 3. Why did Styron make each owner he described, whether the owner of Nat or other slaves, an uglier, meaner character than the one before?

5. Nat equates Isham to John the Baptist. Nat speaks of a warning after the incident with Isham. Is this related?

6. Why might Part 3 be titled "Study War"? Is it appropriate?

7. The story of Hark's escape and eventual return takes up a large section of Part 3. Why might Styron have devoted so much time to this story? What was he trying to show? What do readers learn from Nat's telling of the story?

8. The scene with Major Ridley's fiancee is very strong. A northern white woman, newly arrived in town, can't find her way around and can't understand the Negroes speech. According to Nat, she left, never to return. Why might Styron have had her interact with Arnold, an elderly slave who had been freed, but with no education and worse elocution?

9. In Part 2, when Nat baptizes Willis, he feels he's on the brink of great things, that great possibilities in his life are opening up. Yet soon after, his life changes as the slaves and eventually the plantation, including him, are sold. Is it possible that this had an effect on Nat's eventual decision to kill the whites? Why?

10. In Part 2, Nat talks about Samuel Turner's tampering with a slave's destiny by educating him. Immediately afterward, he talks about what his life might have been like if he had not been the subject of Marse Samuel's "experiment." What do you think of this description of his might-have-been life? Is it something that appeals to him?

(see the answer keys)

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