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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 does Mr. Dalton refuse to have Jan Erlone picked up by the police for questioning?

2. How does Bigger feel committing murder has changed his life?

3. Where does Bigger make his last stand?

4. What does Bigger finally do after wandering the streets looking for food and shelter?

5. Where does Bigger place the ransom note to be certain Mr. Dalton gets it?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was the argument Bigger had with his family as he tried to pack his things the day after Mary's death?

2. What things made the Daltons begin to worry about their daughter being gone?

3. How did Bigger feel about killing Bessie?

4. What kind of power did Bigger have over Bessie that she continued to obey his direction even though she knew it was wrong?

5. The morning after Mary's killing, as Bigger rode the street car on his way back to the Dalton house, he spent a lot of time reflecting on the plight of black people. Explain what Bigger thought would be a solution to their fear and shame.

6. Why did Bigger decide to try to blame Jan and the Communist Party for the kidnapping?

7. What deterred the Daltons from being excessively concerned when they found Mary wasn't in the house the morning after she was murdered?

8. What was Bigger's fatal mistake in his plan to dispose of Mary's body?

9. When Bigger awoke in the morning after Mary's death, what happened when he remembered what he had done the night before?

10. Bigger was very much interested in reading about himself in the newspapers. Of what significance was this?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

There are places in the story where Bigger demonstrates a keen ability to visualize a situation ahead of time to evaluate the outcomes. Was this an advantage or disadvantage to him in the story? Give examples in the essay.

Essay Topic 3

Fear, Flight and Fate Themes:

Write an essay about the way each of these themes were demonstrated in the story. Did any of them intertwine? If so, when/how?

(see the answer keys)

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