View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What happens during a revival?

2. What does Langston's mother make him do at church?

3. What leads Langston and his father to get into an argument concerning Langston's future?

4. What does Langston do when he is denied admittance because of his color?

5. How much money does Langston earn from The Crisis?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Langston affected by his father's attitude?

2. What happens when Langston's mother performs at church?

3. Why does Langston travel to McKeesport, Pennsylvania?

4. What does Langston do after dropping out of Columbia?

5. What happens when Langston returns to New York?

6. How is Langston's father's mind changed, regarding his collegiate studies?

7. What happens when Langston is fourteen?

8. What happened to Langston, one day during a revival at the church?

9. How is Langston affected by racism at this point in his life?

10. Describe Langston's father.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Hughes says he begins writing poetry because "he could not help himself."

Part 1) Why does he not have this attitude early on in life?

Part 2) What causes this change?

Part 3) How does this type of attitude lead him through his life?

Essay Topic 2

A theme found in much of Hughes' work is the optimism of humor.

Part 1) How is this a theme?

Part 2) How is humor optimistic? What does this reveal about Hughes?

Part 3) How might this theme draw readers to Hughes' work?

Essay Topic 3

"Mulatto" appears on Broadway.

Part 1) Why is the subject of this play important to Hughes?

Part 2) What is significant about this play?

Part 3) What does the popularity of this play reveal about the American people at this time?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 744 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample