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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 mammy say Sarny's birth mother was sold in Chapter 1?

2. "Partus sequitur ventrem" was a legal doctrine adopted widely into the laws of slavery in the American colonies. What did this law dictate?

3. What kind of work does Sarny say she is not yet old enough to do on the plantation in Chapter 1?

4. What does Sarny say that the slaves call the master and mistress when they are in the slave quarters and out of hearing in Chapter 2?

5. From what device do Sarny and the other slaves eat their meals at the plantation?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How does Mr. Waller behave toward John as he brings him into the plantation in Chapter 3?

3. What job or jobs does Sarny do around the plantation in Chapter 1?

4. How does Sarny describe the process of meals for the slaves at the plantation in Chapter 3?

5. What was Mammy's response when she discovered Sarny copying the symbols from the grain sack into the dirt when she was a child? Why did she react in this manner?

6. What intrigues and inspires Sarny to want to learn to read and write? What risks does she take in doing so?

7. How is Sarny's birth and early childhood described in Chapter 1? Are Sarny's experiences common for slaves at this time?

8. What imagery and/or symbolism is used in describing the slaves on the plantation in Chapter 2?

9. How does Sarny describe Mammy's method of praying in Chapter 2? Why does Mammy pray this way?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the “barter” made between John and Sarny when they first meet. How does bartering or trading relate to the theme of monetary value in the novel? What does Sarny trade with John in order to learn “letters”? What does John gain from the arrangement?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the author’s depictions of violence and sexual assault in Nightjohn. What do you think is the importance of including these details of slave existence? Would the novel be as effective without its depictions of violence and abuse? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the themes of freedom and faith in Nightjohn. What does “freedom” mean to you? Consider yourself in Sarny’s circumstances; how would your experience and perception of freedom differ? What would it mean to have faith in freedom for a slave like Sarny?

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