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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 does Rocky hit Piri in the face with?

2. What part of his body does Piri injure in this section?

3. What part of Piri's body did Rocky injure?

4. What kind of job does Piri get at 15?

5. When does Piri's father say he will talk to him?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the way of life in Harlem.

2. How does Piri injure his hand?

3. What problems does Piri face when he has to move to a new neighborhood?

4. How do Marcia and her friends react to Piri's asking Marcia to dance?

5. What problems does the family face in the opening section?

6. Describe Piri's time with Pane and his sister, Lorry.

7. Describe Piri's time with the baseball team at his new school.

8. How does Piri react to what he hears Marcia and her friends saying?

9. How does Miss Washington help Piri in this section?

10. What happens at the faggots' apartment?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Look at the structure of the book.

1) Discuss elements of the narrative structure: exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the book's ideas?

2) Examine the way Piri uses other people in the story to express his ideas.

Essay Topic 2

Why has gang culture become such a big part of life in the poorer areas of America? Why does Piri feel he needs to be part of a gang?

Essay Topic 3

Examine Piri's relationship with crime.

1) In what way does Piri make a decision to enter a life of crime rather than being forced into a life of crime?

2) How much do Piri's troubles have to do with his identity crisis?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 699 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample