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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 had Mammy done when Sarny copied the letters from the feed sack in the dirt when she was younger?

2. Where has Sarny observed people reading prior to meeting John?

3. What is Mr. Waller's first name?

4. What refers to the laws in each U.S. state which defined the status of slaves and the rights of masters?

5. What historical figure "owned, raised, and subsequently used" the slave that the novel is dedicated to by the author?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why were slaves forbidden education historically? How is this depicted in the novel?

2. What is the trade that John offers to make with Sarny in Chapter 3? How does Sarny feel about the offer?

3. How is John's appearance described when he first arrives at the plantation in Chapter 3?

4. When is the first time that Sarny describes hearing the word "free" in Chapter 2? What were her perceptions of this word?

5. How is Sarny's relationship with Mammy illustrated in Chapter 1? How does Mammy feel about the other children she cares for?

6. How does John behave toward the other slaves after his arrival in Chapter 3?

7. What does Mammy measure on the sticks that she keeps for each child on the plantation? Why?

8. How would you describe the dialect and language style established in Chapter 1?

9. How is Sarny's character introduced to the reader in Chapter 1? What does Sarny say brought Nightjohn to her?

10. What does Sarny overhear from the white house while she works in Chapter 2?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the author’s dedication in the beginning of the novel and the lives of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson. What was Jefferson’s stance regarding slavery in the U.S.? Why did Gary Paulsen dedicate Nightjohn to the memory of Sally Hemings? Why is Sally Hemings significant in American history?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the meaning and the value of money as seen through Sarny’s eyes in Nightjohn. What does Sarny remark about the monetary value that her mother brought for Waller? How does this perception of people as having a monetary value impact Sarny’s view of the world around her? What negative impacts might this outlook cause in a person’s self worth?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze and discuss the character of John in the novel. What does John look like? How does Sarny describe John’s voice? What personality traits stand out in John upon his arrival at the plantation? How does John’s character evolve in the course of the story?

(see the answer keys)

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