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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 lying on the ground near Makak in Scene 1?

2. What does Moustique tell Makak the woman wants him to sell?

3. Why does Makak fall to his knees in the Prologue?

4. Makak calls himself God's ______.

5. Who tells Makak to continue his story after Makak falls to his knees?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what ways does Walcott show that human nature is similar to animal nature in Act 2?

2. Why does Makak say that he has lost his way?

3. Why do you think Makak doesn't argue more with Moustique about his intent not to use his gifts for profit?

4. Describe the market in Act 1, Scene 3.

5. Do you like the Corporal, based on the information given to you in the Prologue? Why or why not?

6. What elements in the Prologue reinforce the idea that Makak is a prophet and a leader?

7. Do you think the journey to Africa is literal or symbolical? Why?

8. Why do you think Moustique decides to dress up as Makak?

9. How are nature and God connected in Walcott's story?

10. What symbol does the spider serve in Act 1, Scene 2?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the climactic scene evoke Biblical representations? Why do you think Walcott would have included such clear parallels between the Bible and Makak's life?

Essay Topic 2

Why do you think Walcott includes the confrontation between the Corporal and Tigre? What purpose does the scene serve? Do you think the reader would have had just as thorough an understanding of the characters without this description of events?

Essay Topic 3

What is the purpose of a foil in literature? Describe one character in Walcott's play that you believe is a foil of another character. Why do you think Walcott may have created characters in his work that emphasize each other's qualities?

(see the answer keys)

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