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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. Who is Crispus Attucks?

2. What is tied to the rattlesnakes tail in "The Ballad of the Rattlesnake"?

3. What does the white man tell the black man to forget in "Andante Sostenuto"?

4. What does Tolson claim in "Dark Symphony" that the black man has less of then white men?

5. What does Tolson say forgetting is akin to in "Andante Sostenuto"?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who are the bad people that Tolson mentions in his poem "Rendezvous with America," and why does he feel the need to mention them?

2. What historical events does Tolson believe tested the powers of Americans in "Rendezvous with America"? What was the result of these events?

3. What is Tolson's final message to the reader in "Tempo di Marcia"?

4. In "Dark Symphony," how does Tolson suggest black men formed a brotherhood?

5. How does Tolson define bravery in the poem "The Big Game Hunter"?

6. How is hatred the downfall of white men in "The Blindness of Scorn"?

7. What is the lesson that Tolson puts forth in "When Great Dogs Fight"?

8. How does the poem "The Mountain Climber" represent the struggle to acclimate to America?

9. Why does the teacher die in "The Gallows"?

10. What might the volcano's eruption signify in the poem "Vesuvius"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What role does race play in Tolson's poems? Choose two poems and explain how Tolson demonstrates his opinions on race in these poems. The poems may present similar or conflicting views.

Essay Topic 2

How does description play a role in an author's work? How does the author use description to draw the reader into the poem? What are some examples where the description does not work? Cite two poems and explain how the description helps or hinders the poet's message.

Essay Topic 3

Explain the concept of a new black man. What is Tolson's definition of this term, and how does he present this idea in his poems. Choose two poems to defend your answer.

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