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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. What does Bigger do to silence Mary in her room?

2. What does Mrs. Thomas want Bigger to do to help the family?

3. When Mrs. Dalton speaks to Bigger in the kitchen, what surprises him about her?

4. What is the theme of the movie Bigger and Jack go to see?

5. Why is Bigger afraid of being caught in Mary's bedroom?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain the game, "White," that Bigger and his friends played.

2. What happened when Mary's body didn't fit into the furnace?

3. Why did Bigger want to kill the cat?

4. What does it mean about Bigger "Feeling his blackness," even more after Mary Dalton and Jan Erlone's attempts at being friendly?

5. Why do the Dalton's make Bigger feel so uncomfortable?

6. After Bigger realized Mary was dead, why didn't he even consider just telling the truth?

7. Why does Bigger get so angry and violent with Gus when he says he'll go along with the robbery?

8. After all the gory details of the way he disposed of Mary's body, how was Bigger reacting?

9. Why did Bigger decide to put Mary's body in the trunk?

10. What is the symbolism of the two movies Bigger and his friends saw?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

At the very end of the story Max is upset when Bigger comes to the conclusion that it must have been good that he killed. In an essay explain Bigger's reasoning and how he came to that conclusion. Also explain what Max is trying to make Bigger understand after he comes to this conclusion. Why might the two men have different views on this subject?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay on the way the author, Richard Wright wrote this story, demonstrates both sides of the "nature versus nurture" theory. This is particularly strong when Max testifies to the court about Bigger's life. In the essay describe various parts of the story and how they reinforce both aspects of the theory.

Essay Topic 3

Use of Actual Historical Events:

The author of this novel, Richard Wright, used actual historical events in the novel to bring more life to the story and to aid in his plot. In particular he mentioned the Scottsboro Boys and the Leob and Leopold Case. Write an essay about these cases and how they fit into the novel. Add any additional points used that were from real historical events.

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