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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. Why can Sonny not forgive his mother?

2. When Sonny asks Amani what kind of name she has, what is her response?

3. Why does Willie insist they move to Harlem?

4. What job does Sonny end up with after quitting the NAACP?

5. What part of Akua's body does she claim is "growing"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What about H puts him in danger with the police and the bosses?

2. Why do the villagers associate all white men, even the missionary, with the word "obroni" or "Wicked Man" (180)?

3. Why is Marcus afraid of water?

4. How might a miner die?

5. Why does the move to the Cape Coast allow Akua to move from being the Crazy Woman to Old Lady?

6. Why does Marcus have a hard time planning his dissertation?

7. How does Yaw use his scars to teach history to his students?

8. What advice does Akua give to Yaw about his anger?

9. What prompts Sonny to give up his work for the NAACP?

10. How does H's imprisonment prove the inequalities faced by other black men during this time period?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

This song, "The Dove has failed. Oh, what to do? Make her to suffer, or you'll fail too" (37, 84) is repeated throughout the novel. Explore the meaning and the ramifications of these words.

Essay Topic 2

How does Baaba's "nothing from nowhere" curse play out with different characters throughout the novel? Be sure to reference at least three different characters.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay in which you evaluate the statement, "those who had been determined to stay on the fence found themselves without a fence at all" (125).

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