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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. Between what does Willatale press Henderson's hand?

2. What does Henderson want to kill?

3. Who does Mtalba say she admires?

4. In what city does Henderson have a violin lesson?

5. What are Lily and her father doing when he knocks out her teeth?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the wood chip change Henderson's life?

2. What does Henderson feel when he sees the frog?

3. What does Henderson get from playing the violin?

4. Describe the wrestling match between Itelo and Henderson?

5. What experience has been weighing on Henderson's mind?

6. How has Lily' s life changed in Chapter Three?

7. Why are the villagers so upset when Henderson arrives in Chapter Five?

8. In what way is Henderson's colonial mindset revealed in this chapter?

9. Of what does the pink light remind Henderson?

10. How does the meeting with Willatale change Henderson?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine Henderson's decision to leave his family for such a long time. Do characters such as Ricey and Lily need him to stay? How does his decision affect them? Does Henderson have an alternative to going to Africa, one that that still allows him to discover who he is? Is such an act could potentially destructive to a family? What does it say about American society that he decides to leave?

Essay Topic 2

Compare the characters of Henderson and Lily.

1) In what ways are their morals different?

2) What is their relationship to each other?

3) Do you think they are the perfect match?

Essay Topic 3

The novel is set mostly in Africa.

1) What meaning does Africa bring to the novel? What would you automatically presume about a novel that is set in Africa?

2) How different do you think today's Africa is to the Africa in the novel? How do you think the novel's meaning would change if it were set in today's Africa?

3) How do you think the African settings of the novel contributes to the novel's spiritual meaning?

(see the answer keys)

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