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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 does Malcolm impress by dating Sophia?

2. Who does Malcolm say he continues to see?

3. Who is the only person in Harlem that Malcolm says he trusts?

4. Which members of the gang try to get into houses for tours?

5. Who arranges for official custody of Malcolm at the end of this chapter?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is the nation of Islam so important to people like Malcolm?

2. How does Malcolm react to the idea he could be assassinated?

3. What is the main thing Malcolm says he gets out of dating a white woman?

4. What doe Malcolm learn about whites in Chapter 17?

5. Why does Malcolm decide to take a course in English?

6. In what way is Malcolm a good student?

7. Why did prison prove to be a good thing for Malcolm?

8. In what way are Malcolm's problems getting worse in Chapter 8?

9. Why is Malcolm given the nickname Satan?

10. Why is Malcolm appreciative of the two incidents in this chapter- the trip to Boston and the teacher's unfair treatment of him?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Look at the Nation of Islam in the Sixties. What were people's views on the Nation of Islam? Was there any Nation of Islam literature?How was Nation of Islam presented in popular culture? Has this representation affected the way people think about the Nation of Islam today?

Essay Topic 2

Look at the differences between Islam and Christianity. What are the strengths and weaknesses of both religions? How much do people in America know about the Islamic religion compared to Christianity? Do the students think that we need to understand other religions before we criticize them? Has this been a problem in the past?

Essay Topic 3

Look at the structure of the novel.

1) Discuss elements of the narrative structure: exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the book's ideas?

2) Examine the way both Malcolm and Alex Haley use the other people in the story to express Malcolm's ideas.

(see the answer keys)

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